


Marion

by CrashDevil (cjdevlin19)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/F, F/M, Plot With Porn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2018-05-08 06:19:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 126,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5486756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjdevlin19/pseuds/CrashDevil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Wait, Dean." Sam interrupted, sitting up. "Before we drive halfway across the country, we gotta ask ourselves a few questions."</p>
<p>"Like what?" Dean asked, irritated.</p>
<p>"Like, isn't the timing a bit suspicious? We're in the middle of the Apocalypse, we're ganking demons and horsemen, we've both got angels chasing us who'd do anything to get us to be their vessels and suddenly your twin who's been missing longer than I've been alive shows back up?"</p>
<p>Dean didn't respond. He just walked past Sam into the tiny motel bathroom and began brushing his teeth.</p>
<p>"And let's say she passes the tests. She's not some demon or a shifter or something, it's really her. What do we tell her? Mom and Dad are dead, she's never even met me and the last time she saw you, you were both still in Pull-ups. What do we tell her about our lives?"</p>
<p>Dean had a twin sister who was kidnapped from a park while Mary was pregnant with Sam. Marion was long considered dead, but what happens when she shows up in the middle of the Apocalypse? How will she deal with the life her brothers lead? Plot w/Porn. I take a lot of care to not change the timeline of the show. Starts up before My Bloody Valentine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Family

**Author's Note:**

> This started as an excuse for some Castiel/OFC loving, but it blossomed into something else. It even spawned an AU story where Marion was with them throughout their childhood, which might be posted later. Please, Read and Review or leave Kudos. Thank you!

Dean pulled his ringing cell phone out of his pocket and sighed. Phone calls from Bobby rarely brought good news anymore. It was always "the angels are doing this horrible thing" or "Lucifer is doing this slightly more horrible thing" or "you idjit! What horrible thing are you doing?". Dean almost let it go to voicemail, wondering if he even cared what horribleness is going down. At the last second, he flipped the phone open.

"Yeah, Bobby."

"Dean, uh, I just got a news alert from Lawrence. They found Marion."

Dean clenched his eyes shut and shook his head.

"Any leads on her killer?" He asked.

"You misunderstand me, boy. She's alive."

"What?!" Dean exclaimed, only half trying to not wake Sam asleep in the next bed over.

"According to the article, the scum that had her started giving her house privileges. They let her out of the basement a few months ago. Guess they thought that Stockholm Syndrome woulda kicked in after 25 years. She did what they asked of her for a few months until they weren't watching her for a few minutes. Then she grabbed a knife and stabbed one of them in the stomach. He lived but she got out. The article says that she's in police custody until they can assess her mental state and find some family to take her in."

Dean tried to find some words to say. "I'm not quite sure what to do here, Bobby."

"What do you mean, you're not sure? You get in that car and go save your sister, you idjit!" Dean sighed and nodded.

"You're right. It's just... the timing sucks. But I'll get over there as soon as possible. Thanks for letting me know."

Dean hung up the phone and dropped his feet out of bed. He started trying to simultaneously get dressed and pack his bag. He walked over and hit Sam. "Wake up, dude. We gotta go. Now."

Sam stirred and blinked up at Dean. "Is it Lucifer or a case?"

Dean shook his head. He clenched his teeth then relaxed. "No. You remember... you remember me and Dad telling you about... about Marion?"

Sam rubbed the sleep from his face. "Uh, yeah. You were at a park a few months before I was born. Dad went to get you guys ice cream and Marion disappeared."

"She's been in Lawrence the whole time. Sam, she's been chained up in some pervert's basement for almost 30 goddamn years. Cops are holding her at the hospital to make sure they didn't completely fry her brain. Come on, we gotta-"

"Wait, Dean." Sam interrupted, sitting up. "Before we drive halfway across the country, we gotta ask ourselves a few questions."

"Like what?" Dean asked, irritated.

"Like, isn't the timing a bit suspicious? We're in the middle of the Apocalypse, we're ganking demons and horsemen, we've both got angels chasing us who'd do anything to get us to be their vessels and suddenly your twin who's been missing longer than I've been alive shows back up?"

Dean didn't respond. He just walked past Sam into the tiny motel bathroom and began brushing his teeth.

"And let's say she passes the tests. She's not some demon or a shifter or something, it's really her. What do we tell her? Mom and Dad are dead, she's never even met me and the last time she saw you, you were both still in Pull-ups. What do we tell her about our lives that won't break her fragile psyche more than whatever was done to her in that house?"

"We'll figure something out." Dean said, spitting foam into the sink. "We'll tell her as little as we can at first so we don't freak her out, then we'll ease into the rest of it, like how mom and dad died."

"Dean, it's not like we can just bring her with us. She doesn't have the training we had. She wouldn't be safe traveling with us. Besides, Dean, we really have other things we need to focus on."

Dean threw his bag on the table. "This isn't up for discussion. She's my twin sister, Sam, and I haven't seen her in 27 years. I don't care if it's difficult to explain our life. I don't care if we have to take some time to train her to survive. She's a big part of our family that I thought we'd never see again. She's family. We're going."

Sam knew better than to keep arguing with him. Even if he didn't know how stubborn his brother was, he'd taken an intro Psych class at Stanford that taught him about the bond between twins. The loss of his twin could actually account for more of Dean's distance and coldness than how they were raised. Sam just nodded and started getting dressed.

***************************

They spent the drive in relative silence, Dean's old Zeppelin cassette joining forces with the Impala's engine to fill the emptiness that was slowly getting more tense with each mile. Dean's mind kept vacillating between excitement and anguish. He was happy to be able to see his sister again, but what if she was broken by those people? What if she can't handle how the Winchester's lives had turned out? What if she was a ploy from the angels? 'Look what we can give you. Just say yes to Michael.' Or worse, a chance for Lucifer to keep tabs on Sam. Dean didn't want to think about the possibility that his sister might be some demon in disguise but he had to consider all the ways this could fuck him in the ass.

It took them 18 hours to get to Lawrence. Dean didn't even bother driving them to a motel, pulling right into the hospital parking lot. He all but ran into the building and up to the reception desk. "My name is Dean Winchester. I, uh, hope I'm in the right place but..."

"You're here for Marion." She said, with a smile. "I'm just gonna need some ID and then we can take you up there. She's in our psych ward. Don't worry, though. We've just had her under observation, that's all."

Dean handed her his ID, then followed her as she started walking away.

"So, how is she?" Sam spoke up.

"Well, you'd really have to talk to her doctor for that, but... the way I hear it, no one has ever seen someone go through what she did and come out so... well-adjusted." The nurse said, leading them onto an elevator.

"Well-adjusted?" Sam asked.

"That's a good thing, Sammy. Don't sound so upset." Dean said. Sam kept to himself the thought that well-adjusted was suspicious.

"She claims that the people she was with didn't really harm her, they just kept her. The female kidnapper even home schooled her. She really just wants to go home now, so I'm sure she will be ecstatic to see you boys."

Dean looked into the window on the door the nurse stopped in front of. He took a deep breath as he looked in on his sister. Her dark blonde hair was so long that it touched the bed she was sitting on. They had her in the plain white scrubs of the other psych patients. The nurse opened the door and ushered the boys inside.

Marion looked up. "Yes?"

"I've got some visitors for you, Marion."

She looked up at Dean skeptically, two sets of hazel-green eyes meeting each other. "Can I help you?"

Disbelief stopped Dean in his place for a minute before he smiled. "Break my heart, Marion. Only woman to ever forget my face and it's my twin sister? You're killin' me."

Marion looked confused as she stood from the bed, never taking her eyes off of Dean. "Dean? Oh, my- They told me you were dead!" She said, wrapping her arms around him. She was just a few inches shorter than him so the hug was evenly matched. She pulled back and looked at him.

"They drove me past the house. I could see the scorch marks. They said there was a fire, that everyone died."

Dean shook his head. "There was a fire. A little under a year after they took you. But Mom's the only one who didn't get out. Me, and Dad and Sammy, we survived."

"Sammy?" Marion asked, brow furrowed.

Dean smiled. "Yeah. I guess you probably don't remember but Mom was pregnant when you got grabbed. Our little brother, Sam. That's your cue to introduce yourself, Sammy."

Sam walked forward from his spot by the door. Marion chuckled. "This Sasquatch is our baby brother? He must take after Dad." She said, wrapping her arms around him, too.

"I'm glad you're ok, Marion. It's, uh, really great to meet you."

"Hey, I'm gonna see if I can find your doctor, see when we can get you out of here." Dean said, walking out the door.

"So, uh, the nurse we spoke to, she said that the people who took you weren't abusive, that they even home schooled you?" Sam asked, eyeing the big stack of books on the only surface in the room.

"Oh, yeah. Mister and Missus were never really mean to me unless I talked about leaving. Missus taught me all the way up to when I would have graduated high school, then she just gave me college text books for the subjects I most enjoyed. Mostly history and British literature." Marion said, picking up a large book of poems.

"I know this might sound a bit Stockholm-y but I don't think they were bad people. They never blatantly harmed me. Quite the opposite, actually, they shared the delusion that God had told them to take me, to protect me. They were the most God-fearing people I've ever heard of and I'm sure that, were it not for the sickness in their heads, they would have been wonderful, charitable people."

"God told them to take you?" Sam asked, sad that he'd been right to be suspicious. He also wasn't looking forward to telling Dean.

"They seemed sure of it. Couldn't tell me what they were saving me from but they knew they were saving me. I know religion is a touchy subject but to think that God would have his angels swoop down and tell two people to steal a 4 year old from her parents is just absurd."

Sam watched her set the poetry back on the table. "Maybe the angels did it because they wanted you away from us, not God." He said, turning to the door as Dean walked back in. "Hey, Dean. Can I talk to you outside real quick?"

Sam followed Dean out into the hall and closed the door. "Marion just told me that the couple who took her said they were instructed to... by God... more specifically, angels."

Dean punched the wall on the opposite side of the hall. "I was really hoping this would just be a good thing and not some stupid angel ploy." He pulled his phone from his pocket and angrily flipped it open. "Cas, Lawrence, Kansas. Sacred Heart Hospital, 6th floor." Dean demanded, before hanging up.

Castiel appeared in front of them within seconds. "I knew nothing of this, Dean." Castiel defended, without provocation.

"Yeah? Then, how'd you know what I was calling about?" Dean's jaw tensed in anger.

"I was informed that Zachariah recently traveled into the past. I was looking into the reasons behind this, when I found out about your sister. I knew they must be connected and your call confirmed that. Again, I didn't know about it."

Dean ran his fingers through his hair. "So, what do you think was the point, Cas? Why do you think Zach took my sister from me?"

Castiel looked down. "He didn't, Dean, take her. Technically, he's giving her to you. Before he went back in time, before he convinced the Cornwells to take her, she was meant to run into the street and be struck by a vehicle... the very day she was taken. I'm not sure why he's chosen to bring her into your life but perhaps you should ask her."

All color left Dean's face. "She was gonna die?"

"Yes. Don't worry, Zachariah didn't change anything, really. You would have dealt with her death exactly as you did her disappearance. Again, only Zachariah knows why he saved her, but perhaps Marion can shed a little light on the situation." Castiel said, gesturing toward the door.


	2. Thnks fr th Mmrs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean doesn't know where to start.

Dean walked into the room and looked at his twin, who was skimming through one of her books. He didn't know where to start. "Marion..."

"What caused you to leave the safety of the Cornwell's home? Why now, after 27 years?" Castiel spoke up from behind Dean.

"Who's this? Another brother I've never met?" Marion asked, smirking as she tried to see around Sam.

Castiel stepped forward, next to Dean. "No. I am Castiel. I'm an-"

"A friend." Dean interrupted. He ran his hand through his hair. "His question might sound invasive and tactless, but it's important. I don't think they just recently let you out of the basement, Mare. So, why escape now?"

Marion threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know! I just... couldn't be there anymore."

"Why?" Castiel pressed.

"Because of the dreams!" Marion sat on her bed and shook her head. "I kept having these dreams of an old chubby guy telling me that I had to find Dean, that the fate of the world rested on Dean saying 'yes' to something and I had to show Dean God's Grace."

Marion looked up at Dean, eyes glistening. "I thought you were dead, so I just wrote it off as a crazy dream... but then he started getting angry. He told me that the... angels would punish me if I kept ignoring him. He told me to stab Mister in the heart and leave! I couldn't do that. But he made it clear that if I stayed with Mister and Missus, that something very bad would happen to me."

Marion began to fiddle with the hem of her shirt. "One of the books I had was an anatomy text so I was careful to put the knife in Mister's stomach, made sure to miss the major organs and arteries and I ran. I know how crazy it sounds, Dean, and I'm sure I am, but... that's why I left."

Dean leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. "You aren't crazy. I have a million things to tell you, about my life, about that dick who made you stab an old man. I just don't even know where to start." He whispered.

"In the interest of saving valuable hours, may I facilitate the link between the two of you so she might see it herself?" Castiel asked.

"The what now?" Dean asked.

"You are twins. A link between your souls was created when you were in the womb. If I reconnect the link, I could transfer your memories into her. That way, she would know your life."

"Will it hurt?" Marion asked, meekly.

"I'm sure the emotional impact will be tremendous, but physically, you'll be fine. I will keep your memories in their place, though. There is no need for Dean to know your life." Castiel answered.

"Okay." Marion said, after a moment. "I want memories of my dad and baby brother. Let's do this."

Dean steeled himself in preparation for a flood of bad memories. "Hey, uh, Cas, don't give her any, uh, personal memories. You know what I mean?"

"I will attempt to hold back any memories of coitus, Dean, yes." Castiel said, placing a hand on Marion's upper abdomen and the other in the same spot on Dean's torso.

Almost immediately, memories started flowing from Dean and into Marion. Sam watched from the door as tears started rolling down his sister's cheeks. When Castiel pulled his hands away, Marion fell to the floor, face in her hands and sobbing. Dean rubbed her back. "Come on, Sis. My life isn't that bad."

"Mom was murdered! And Dad gave his life to the thing that killed her so that you wouldn't die! And you wasted that gift to bring Sam back! You spent 40 years in Hell! How can you say your life isn't bad?"

Marion's shouts were muffled by her hands as she tried to will her eyes to stop leaking.

Dean ignored the question, choosing to turn to Castiel, angrily. "You didn't give her my memories of Hell, did you?"

"I-."

"He did, but it doesn't matter!" She said, pulling her hands away from her face and staring up at Dean. "You spend every moment of your life fighting, but... you gave up. You stopped fighting to bring Sam back to life. And you gave up in Hell. And you..." Marion was breathless as tears continued to fall. She turned her attention to Sam. "You thanked him for this by choosing a demon over your brother, the only family you thought you had left. You bringing about the end of the world is one thing, but how can you redeem yourself for the betrayal?"

Marion's hands found her face again and she slumped over, like she was trying to sink into the tiles. "Mom's dead. Dad's dead. The whole world is full of evil. No one, nothing is safe." She sobbed.

Dean pulled her up off the floor and sat her down on the bed. "I know it's big and scary, what's going down right now, and it's fucked up what the Winchester clan has done to and for each other in the past, but we're gonna get you out of this hospital, we're gonna get you some weapons training and we're gonna figure out a way to gank the Devil."

Marion looked up, catching his eyes in instant contact. "What if I don't want weapons training, Dean? I know you think I'm supposed to be the virgin yin to your man-slut yang, but... what if I want to go get my GED and go to college like Sam did? What if I just want to be normal?"

"You are the ying to my yang. We're twins. Gemini, you know, Remus and frickin' Romulus. And you can't just abandon me. You are a Winchester. You may not have grown up the way we did, but your upbringing was just as fucked up. Just like Sammy, even if you left us, you'd get brought back eventually. Why fight that?"

Marion shook her head. "Dean, I just wanna lie down. I need some time. My head hurts."

"I hate to be the one to say this, but, if Zach brought her, then he's going to be watching her. We don't have much time." Sam warned.

Dean took a deep breath and caught his sister's eyes again. "The life we lead... it's not easy, but since when is life supposed to be? Sammy and me, we have our problems, but we're still close enough to finish each other's sentences. He picked a demon over me, yes, and it jumpstarted the Apocalypse, but I've ignored his whiny ass in favor of a piece of tail before, too. In the end, though, we'll come together, as a family, and rectify this. But you're my missing piece and Zach, he'll take you away from me if I leave without you. We'll never see each other again. Please, Marion. Come with us."

Marion wiped her eyes. "You're just making it seem like a choice, aren't you?"

Dean smirked. "You refuse and I'll have Cas knock you out and fly you out to the Impala. I'd rather you didn't make me do that."

She sighed, loudly. "I've got a bunch of books. I hope your baby has room. I'm not leaving without them."

"We'll take them for now, but there's not much space, so we'll have to drop 'em off at Bobby's." Dean said, grabbing a heavy stack of books and handing them off to Castiel.

****************************

Marion stared out the small back window of the Impala. There was so much she'd never seen before, but this scenery was familiar. Dean had driven this road before, many times. The trees flashing past were almost hypnotic and she felt herself dozing off.

She knew it was a dream because she could no longer feel or hear the rumble of the Impala's engine. And someone was sitting next to her, someone she'd never met. It was a man with dark blonde hair, wearing loose jeans and an open plaid button-up over a grey t-shirt. "How's it feel to be out of that hospital, Mary? Lock a sane person up long enough, they start to go a bit nutso. The boys got you out in time, though." He said, turning sideways to look at her.

Marion leaned back as close to the black metal as possible. She knew this wasn't exactly real but the anxiety she was feeling was. "Who are you?"

The man smiled and offered her a slice from an orange she hadn't noticed he was eating. "I'd like to think I'm your friend, Marion. Don't worry. I'm not any friend of Zachariah's. To be honest, I'm not really a friend to Dean and Sam, either." He scooted a bit closer to her. "But I'd like to be your friend."

She took the orange slice, but did not eat it. "Why?"

"Because you're different from them, Mary! You were supposed to die! 27 years ago, John Winchester was supposed to let Dean steal his attention for a few minutes, and you were supposed to fuck off like 4 year olds do and get hit by a Chevy truck. Instead, you were preserved, taught to fear God and love Him. You've never ganked a demon or purified a spirit. And you don't really wanna start now, do ya, Mary?"

"Please, stop calling me that. It's my mother's name. She passed."

He rolled his eyes. "I know! I'm the one who set Azazel on the path to kill her... and every other mother who's maternal instincts got the better of her. Listen. Marion. Your brothers, they're in the middle of something huge. Bigger than anything they've ever played with. They can't stop it. They were made for it. Dean, he's going to say 'yes' to Michael. And, Sam, he's gonna say 'yes' too. You... weren't supposed to be here. You were preserved... because the Archangels thought they could use you. But you have no part in this." He moved forward more. "You don't need to be here, Marion. Dean is a big boy. He'll make his decision on his own. So will Sammy. If you want to stay, I can make a place for you in the Apocalypse, but if you don't want to be a party to this... I can make your escape route."

He scooted back. "I'll even keep you safe after Michael loses the battle and the Earth is thrown into Chaos. All you have to do, Marion Winchester, is tell me where your brothers are before you go. That simple. Don't answer now. Think about it."

Marion twitched as she woke. She had never pictured Lucifer that way... but she was certain that's who she'd spoken to.

"Bad dream?" Castiel asked, appearing next to her in the back seat. Marion debated telling them the dream, but she just nodded and looked away to the flashing trees. Something told her that Castiel might already know and she didn't want her brothers to doubt her decision like she was apt to do.

"How'd you find us, Cas? Thought you put angel symbols on all of our bones?" Dean asked, looking in the rearview mirror at his angel. He'd never admit it to anyone but himself... and he guessed Marion probably knew, but the way Castiel had given up everything for him, the way he'd risked everything to help Dean, that was a loyalty he didn't know existed. So, while the other angels were just 'those dicks', Cas was 'my angel'.

"I assumed you were on your way to Bobby's, so I stood by the road until I heard the Impala approaching."

"That's not creepy." Dean muttered.

"I thought I might be able to assist with Marion's combat training." Castiel seemed a tiny bit nervous as he spoke the words, but only one Winchester noticed.

"I know how to fight. At least, my brain does. I have all of these memories of Dad training you and I remember which maneuvers have failed you in the past."

"But your muscles don't know this stuff. Your muscles know how to pick up a book, not a gun. We'll fix that, though." Sam spoke up.

Marion looked over at her partner in the back seat with her. "I'm sure that riding in this little slow machine must be driving you mad, since, you know, you're more used to flying. You could just meet us at Bobby's, if you'd rather."

Castiel gave her an awkward, half nervous smile. "It's fine. I would only be waiting around for you all to arrive. I would rather ride along."

"You stood by the road until you heard the Impala, not even knowing if we were taking this route but you don't want to wait at Bobby's? You're weird, Cas." Dean said, looking away from the mirror.

Castiel just looked away from Dean and focused out the window.


	3. Basket Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nature vs. Nurture

Marion felt that, under previous circumstances, the state of Singer Salvage and the house in the middle of the property might have made her feel uncomfortable. But with Dean’s memories floating around in her head, the junkyard and the neglected house felt like home. A wave of panic hit her as she wondered if a time might come when she couldn’t distinguish Dean’s thoughts from her own. The angel who sat beside her reached his hand out to grasp hers and a sense of calm washed over her. A relieved sigh escaped her lips.

“That’s a neat trick.” She whispered, just barely audible. Castiel gave an awkward smile, before disappearing from the car. He was standing next to the driver’s side door as Dean parked.

Bobby wheeled out to meet them. He smiled, politely, at Marion. “It’s good to finally meet you, girl. Your daddy showed me pictures of you. He swore up and down he’d find out what happened to you.” Bobby said, extending his hand.

“Are you kidding? After everything you’ve done for my father and my brothers? Bobby Singer, you are family!” Marion said, pushing past his hand and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Bobby looked to Sam and Dean, “You told her ‘bout me?” He meant, ‘You told her about hunting?’

“Not really.” Sam stated, pulling his massive frame out of the Impala.

“But she’s my twin! She just knows, Bobby.” Dean replied.

Marion pulled away and smiled. Bobby didn’t return the gesture. “So, she knows about me and all the things I’ve done for you, because she’s yer twin? Am I missin’ somethin’?” Bobby asked, as they headed into the house.

“Cas might’ve bridged the link between our memories. She kinda got a crash course in the History of Dean Winchester.” Dean said, shutting the front door behind him.

Bobby wheeled around in front of them. “So, what you idjits are saying is, rather than take the time to explain to yer sister what’s been goin’ on, you had the angel give her your memories?”

“Just Dean’s, Bobby. And I volunteered. I wanted to have memories of my father and brother… a few memories of Mom. Dean held onto those memories. I didn’t. I asked for this, Bobby.” Marion spoke up.

“Then, you’re an idjit, too! Has Castiel ever done this before? Do we know the side effects? Did any of you even ask?!”

Another wave of panic crashed down on Marion. She hadn’t asked. She’d rushed into this without thinking. That was so unlike her. Even when she was escaping, she’d taken the time to plan, to ask herself questions. It wasn’t like her to-

Her heart rate slowed and a sense of well-being fell on her as a hand moved across Marion’s shoulders. She smiled at Bobby. “Do you have any coffee, Bobby? They wouldn’t let me have caffeine at the hospital, so I haven’t had any in weeks… since I was at Mister and Missus’ house.”

Bobby nodded, putting aside his upset for the time being. He wheeled into the kitchen and waved for her to follow. Dean started toward the door. “I’m gonna grab those books.”

Sam stared at Castiel with his arms crossed over his chest. “So, how do you figure you can help with Marion’s training?”

“She can’t hurt me. I’m a good training opponent.”

“And you being here has nothing to do with the female Dean you created?”

“I don’t understand.” Castiel said, tilting his head slightly, in confusion.

“Come on! She’s a walking nature vs. nurture debate! She’s got all our Winchester genes, and she’s got all her memories of those God-fearing people who took her and made her the woman she was. 27 years of history books and Jesus. And now, she has all of Dean’s memories. 27 years of combat and demons and sex. You’re just here to see which side wins the personality conflict.” Sam accused.

Castiel stared blankly at Sam. “There is no truth to that. I’m going to help Dean.”

“How do you think Dean’s gonna react when he finds out that you’re pacifying our sister’s emotions?”

Castiel turned back to Sam, but said nothing. Sam uncrossed his arms and stepped forward. “She’s gotten that anxious look twice in the last 25 minutes. That ‘Oh my god. What have I done?’ look. Both times, you touched her and, suddenly, she’s all smiles.”

“You would rather your sister be subjected to an anxiety attack?”

“Maybe she should be panicking, Cas! Maybe the anxiety is her body telling her that what you did was wrong!” Sam whispered.

“I did what was required of the situation. There was no time to explain everything. Zachariah was coming. There is no reversing it. So, it seems a good idea to keep any side effects controlled. I’ll stop filling her with grace and happiness only if Marion asks it of me. Tell Dean, if you must, but the panic should subside soon and then I won’t have to maintain her well-being.” Castiel said.

Sam looked toward the kitchen. “I think if Dean loses her again, it’ll be worse than the Apocalypse. Just… try to keep her… her. One Dean’s enough.” Sam whispered as Bobby and Marion came in, carrying 2 mugs each.

“We didn’t make a cup for you, Castiel, because I’m pretty sure angels don’t drink coffee.” Marion said, a sweet smile on her lips.

Castiel nodded and looked at Sam. “Definitely not Dean.” He said, before disappearing in a whoosh of air.

“What was that about?” Marion asked, handing Sam a mug.

“Just discussing the differences between twins. Thanks.” Sam said, taking a drink of the coffee.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~_____________~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~____________~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Marion lay on a small cot in Bobby’s living room. Dean, Sam and Bobby had all but insisted she take the bed, but she’d refused. She knew she wasn’t going to sleep, anyway, so she took the cot while Bobby slept on the couch 10 feet away, Sam slept on the floor next to him and Dean snoozed in Bobby’s old bed upstairs. She couldn’t sleep because she was scared to dream. Marion didn’t want to see Lucifer and she definitely didn’t want to see Zachariah. So, she stared at the ceiling and prayed for daylight.

“Why aren’t you sleeping? Why are you asking for the will to stay awake?” Castiel asked, suddenly standing over her.

Marion thought, briefly, that it was odd that she hadn’t heard the soft whoosh that normally announced his arrival, but she pushed the thought away as she sat up. “Shh! Sam and Bobby are sleepin’ right over there! Sit down.” She said, patting the bed. Castiel complied, wordlessly. “You can hear my prayers?”

Castiel nodded. “I am an angel of the Lord. I could hear anyone’s prayers, if I wanted. Why won’t you sleep?”

Marion rubbed her eyes and sighed. “I guess they’d be nightmares. Night terrors. But really, it’s angels who want something from me, invading my dreams.”

“Zachariah.”

“And Lucifer. The bad dream in the car, it was Lucifer telling me that I don’t have to be here, that I shouldn’t be here. He told me that all I have to do is tell him where Sam and Dean are and he’d make sure that I have nothing to do with this fight. I could go live my own life.” Marion shook her head and chuckled lightly. “But that’s not really an option. It’s a fantasy. I’m a Winchester and this is what Winchesters do. We gank demons.” She sighed deeply. “But I don’t want to have to tell the Devil that, you know?”

Castiel nodded, but ran his hand down her arm, filling her with grace and tiredness. “If you seem distressed, I will wake you. Sleep is important for humans and you cannot train on caffeine alone.”

Marion smiled up at him as her eyes became too heavy to keep open. “Thank you, Castiel. You are amazing.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~___________________~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Marion appeared in a beautiful green clearing in the middle of a wooded area. She bit her lip as her eyes fell upon Lucifer leaning against a tree to her right. “You know, that’s adorable! The little crush you’re getting on Dean’s pet angel. But you know…” He was suddenly right in front of her. “He might have rebelled against Heaven and he might be wearing a meat suit full of emotions and neediness, but he’s still an angel, Marion. God didn’t give us the capacity to use emotions, so he could never reciprocate. And if he’s the reason why you’re about to tell me you’re staying, you might wanna rethink that.”

Marion gulped, nervously, but steeled herself in the knowledge that Castiel was watching and had her back. “I know… that I’m not supposed to be here. I get that. But I am here.” She stood on shaking legs and looked up into his piercing blue eyes. “And I am a Winchester. Family is all we have. I’m staying because my brothers need my help. As for Castiel, if angels were emotionless, how would he have felt enough doubt to rebel? How would Zachariah have felt enough anger to blow up Cas? And you… the jealousy you felt about us humans? I’ll take my chances.”

Lucifer nodded. “Let me know how that works for you.” He raised a hand to caress her cheek. “I’ll make a place for you in the Apocalypse, don’t you worry.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_______________________~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Marion woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Castiel holding a mug out to her. She smiled and sat up, enjoying the warmth of the mug in her hand and the smell infiltration her nostrils. “Thank you, Castiel. Good morning.”

“Good morning. You seemed to sleep well, but I thought coffee may be of use, anyway. 2 creams, 3 sugars.” Castiel said.

She laughed. “How’d you know how I take my coffee? Can you read my mind?” She joked, taking a sip.

“I could.” Castiel confirmed. “But I figured it may be less intrusive to just ask Bobby how you made yours yesterday. There is food made in the kitchen, when you’re ready. Protein is important before training.”

Marion smiled as she took another sip of coffee. Castiel was so nice compared to Zachariah and Lucifer. She stood and walked into the kitchen where Dean was scarfing down a bacon and egg sandwich and Sam was fiddling with what appeared to be an egg-whites omelet.

“We weren’t sure what kinda food the Cornwell’s had you on, but we’ve got some bacon left, some instant oatmeal and whatever pussy greaseless shit Sam’s eating.” Dean said, his mouth half full.

“Thanks.” Marion said, setting her mug on the table and grabbing a bowl to prepare some brown sugar oatmeal. As she waited for it to thicken, she grabbed a piece of bacon from the plate and started munching on it. “Mister and Missus didn’t deprive me of things, especially things like this… good ol’ American breakfast food. I prefer sausage to bacon, though.”

Dean looked at her like she’d grown an extra head. “How can you prefer anything to bacon?! Bacon is the food of the Gods, okay?! It is the best thing to ever be cut off a pig’s ass.”

Marion smirked. “American bacon is usually pork belly, Dean. And I prefer my pig ground up with herbs and seasonings. Is that so wrong?” She asked, sitting down with her bowl.

“Other places do bacon different?” Dean asked.

“Most other countries use bacon for flavor in their dishes. America is pretty much the only place where you’ll find bacon and eggs on a diner menu.”

“I did not know that.” Sam commented.

Marion took a bite of her oatmeal and smiled. “Well, when the local bookstore ran out of books for Missus Cornwell to buy, I started reading her cookbooks. She had dozens of them.”

Dean looked up, quickly. “You tellin’ me that you can cook?”

She smiled. “Dean, you get me 2 hotplates, some cookware and a portable convection oven, I will make you gourmet faire. And maybe do something about your cholesterol.” Marion said, gesturing to the side of bacon next to his mostly-gone bacon sandwich.

“Hey! My cholesterol is fine.” Dean defended.

Marion shook her head. “You know, you sound pretty confident for a guy who’s died so many times.”

“Not a single time has bacon put me in the ground, sister.” Dean said, pointedly stuffing his mouth with the rest of the food on his plate.

“I wouldn’t bother, Marion. I’ve been trying to get Dean to eat better for years. It’s no use.” Sam said, putting his plate in the sink.

Marion smiled, standing and walking to the sink to clean her bowl. “I’ve got the advantage of knowing how to cook good food. He won’t even know what food he’d normally turn his nose up at.” She placed the bowl back in the cabinet and turned to her brothers. “So… training?”


	4. Be Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some training, and then Marion's first case.

Marion stood in the salvage yard with her brothers and Castiel. She pulled her pants up by the belt loops and wished that Castiel had taken her with him, or at least asked her size, before flying off to get some clothes for her. The light blue v-neck tee seemed to fit perfectly but the jeans were a size too big.

Marion pulled her ponytail holder tighter to her head, her long hair pulled out of her face, and stared expectantly at the men in front of her.

“Make a fist.” Dean ordered, just as Marion was about to open her mouth to ask what they were doing. She rolled her fingers down and locked her thumb over them. “Punch Castiel.”

“What?! I can’t do that!” Marion exclaimed.

“He’s an angel, Mare. You can’t hurt him. Punch the damn angel.” Dean instructed.

“Isn’t this blasphemy? Won’t I go to Hell for this?”

“He’s fallen. Heaven doesn’t care! Just punch him!” Dean shouted. Marion took a quick breath and let her right fist fly to the angel’s jaw. “Which knuckles hurt?”

Marion rubbed the knuckles on her first and middle fingers. “These two.”

“Perfect! Try it with the left hand.” Sam encouraged. Castiel nodded to Marion.

Marion let her fist fly and winced as she came in contact with the angel’s nose. Sam smiled, softly. “Your knuckles will harden, eventually. I-”

“Kick him.” Dean interrupted.

Marion started to lift her right leg straight in front of her, but Dean shook his head. “A real kick! This isn’t ballet, Mare. Kick him right. Like Dad taught me.”

Marion’s lips tightened in anger, as she threw her leg out to the side to come in contact with Castiel’s stomach, making him sway a bit.

“That’s good enough for now. This is a shotgun. We use it, mostly, for salt rounds to take down ghosts, but demons don‘t like salt, either.” Dean said, tossing a sawed-off at her. Marion grabbed it from the air, then placed it on the ground.

“Why are you acting this way, Dean?” She questioned.

“What way?”

Marion looked at Sam who nodded, slightly.

“You’re acting like Dad.” Marion said, confidently.

“Is that supposed to be an insult?” Dean was glaring as Marion squared her shoulders.

“Yes, it is. You’re being cold and rude. You haven’t said a single encouraging word since we’ve been out here. So, yeah, it’s an insult.” Marion said, losing some of her steam toward the end of her response.

Dean leaned over to pick up the shotgun at her feet. “Well, lucky for you, I don’t hear it that way. Dad did what he had to, to keep Sam and me safe.” He shoved the shotgun back into her hands. “I’m just doing the same for you.”

Marion immediately handed the shotgun to Sam. “I refuse to do this with you if you’re going to act this way. If you want to apologize and treat me like your sister and not a soldier, I’ll be in the library.”

Marion stopped in front of Dean and quickly shot her leg out straight in front of her, coming in contact with Dean’s groin. As he doubled over, she walked back toward the house. “And that is a real kick.”

~~~~~~~~~~~_______________~~~~~~~~~~~~---------------~~~~~~~~~~~~~________________

 

Marion sat at Bobby’s desk with a pile of books in front of her. She’d pulled down the first 10 tomes in English that she’d found and she was pouring over them, one at a time. She’d heard the Impala’s engine fire up about 10 minutes after she came inside and Sam had walked in not long after. Marion heard whispers in the kitchen between Bobby and Sam, but neither had come to talk to her. Strange, how the ‘emotionless’ angel made her feel more welcome than anyone else.

Marion shook those thoughts away and continued reading. “Enjoyin’ my readin’ selection?” Bobby asked as he wheeled up in front of the desk.

She looked up and smiled. “I hope you don’t mind. I’ve been reading the same 20 books since I was 17. Well, not quite, but you know what I mean. And there’s a lot in these books. Knowledge that Dean couldn’t pass to me because he’s never read them.”

Bobby chuckled. “Only time that boy opens a book is when Sam’s life depends on it… or if he thinks it might have nude drawings.”

Marion smiled politely, wanting to turn back to her book but not wanting to be rude. Bobby seemed a bit uncomfortable as he cleared his throat. “So, uh, I heard Dean went a little… John on ya.”

Marion closed the text in front of her. “I know what my dad was like with them, Bobby. He was less a father and more a General. Dean doesn’t get to be that. Not with me.”

“Oh, I understand. John being that way is exactly what drove Sam away from him. Dean should know better.” Bobby said, rolling over to a drawer and pulling out a pistol. “What do ya say, I teach ya how to shoot?”

Marion smiled. “Are you sure?”

Bobby handed her the pistol. “Yeah. You may not have spent your childhood here like the boys, but you’re John’s kid. Besides, I haven’t been out much since I’ve been in this damned chair. You’d be doin’ me a favor.”

Her smile widened. “Thank you, Bobby. I’d really like that. Where should we go to practice?”

“Somewhere with a ramp. There’s a place in Salt Lake I know. You think the angel would take us?”

“I’ll ask him.” She said, folding her hands and closing her eyes.

“Of course, I’ll take you.” Castiel said, appearing behind Bobby with a flutter of wings.

“Thank you, Castiel. I really appreciate this.” Marion stood and handed the pistol back to Bobby. “Ammo?”

“All over the place, but closest is the bottom drawer.” Bobby answered.

Marion grabbed a box of ammunition from the drawer and stood. “Ready!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~__________~~~~~~~~~~----------~~~~~~~~~~__________

Dean sat on Bobby’s couch with a beer in his hand. It seemed mostly forgotten. His sister had said she wasn’t a soldier. She knew. She knew that he’d been to the future. She knew that he’d been the leader of a group of soldiers in the aftermath of the Apocalypse. She knew that Sam had said yes… and that she hadn’t been there. He couldn’t figure out if she’d reminded him of Lucifer (wearing Sam) standing over Dean’s corpse on purpose, or if it had just been his guilty conscience that made him cling to that image. He looked up as Castiel arrived with Marion and Bobby. “Where’ve you been?”

Marion glared and looked away from him. “Thank you for teaching me, Bobby.”

“Any time, Marion.” Bobby responded, putting the gun back in the desk.

“Wait, Mare.” Dean called, standing and walking over to his sister. “I was a dick. I’m not your C.O. I’m your brother. I’m sorry.”

Marion smiled, warmly. “I forgive you. You were just trying to emulate Dad. But… with your memories of combat, I have a pretty good handle on fighting and I hit the target every time… even hit the 10 spot twice. You don’t have to worry about me, Dean. And you don’t have to be a dick just because that’s the only way Dad could show his worry for you.”

Dean wrapped his arms around his sister and pressed his lips against her forehead. “Thanks for understanding.”

She chuckled. “I’ve got 27 years of you in my head, Dean. I doubt anyone understands you as well as I do.”

“Come on, break it up. I ain’t havin’ this Lifetime Movie shit in my house.” Bobby bellowed, but his smile betrayed him.

~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

“I’m glad you two are getting along again, ‘cause I think I’ve got a case.” Sam said, setting his laptop down in front of Dean.

“Does this really say they ate each other?” Dean asked, a look of disgust spreading across his face.

“Ate each other?” Marion asked, turning the laptop to where she could see it. “How would they even… I don’t… wouldn’t they be in too much pain? How?”

“Definitely not natural.” Sam responded, taking his laptop back.

“So, what could cause two people to do that? Witches?” Marion asked, trying to focus on something other than the images that rolled through her head.

“Maybe. It’d have to be some pretty strong mojo. Nothin’ I’ve ever seen before.” Bobby said. “So, what are you doing standin’ around here? Get yer shit and get out.”

Dean walked over to his duffle and picked up the strap. “Hey, Bobby. Do you mind-?”

“Don’t you dare, Dean. I’m coming with you. I’m a good shot and not too bad at hand to hand. Please don’t leave me behind.” Marion said, grabbing the strap of the duffle from Dean’s hand. Dean looked to the room for help, but Bobby looked away and Sam just shook his head.

“Fine. You can come. But don’t complain if this one turns out nasty.”

“Dean, I remember you stumbling into skin walker sheddings. I can handle… cannibals.”

“Whatever. It’s your choice. We’re gonna have to get you a fed suit… and a badge. Are you sure you don’t want to sit this one out and get everything together with Bobby?” Dean offered.

“I’ll get a badge for her and overnight it to ya. You can stop at a department store on the way out there. Text me an address to send the badge to when you get there.” Bobby said.

Marion smiled brightly and headed out to the car. “Am I right to be worried about this?” Dean asked.

“She’ll roll with it, Dean. Can’t leave her at Bobby’s house forever. I mean, you don’t want to be without her, right?” Sam said, patting Dean’s shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^**********~~~~~~~~~~

Marion was laying on the hood of the Impala, staring up at the stars in a cloudless night sky, an Eagles song playing softly on the car stereo. There was a sound of gravel shifting as Castiel stepped onto the shoulder of the road to stand next to the front of the car. Marion sat u and smiled at Cas. “Ya know, I think it’s been months since I had a dream that didn’t have an appearance from an angel.”

“I could leave.” Castiel said, with a completely straight face.

“No!” Marion exclaimed, grabbing Castiel’s hand. “I mean, you are welcome here. I think I might’ve even prayed for you to come. If I’m going to have an angel invade, might as well be the angel who I like.”

Castiel gave a small smile and then sat down next to her. “I don’t recognize this song.”

“It’s, um, ‘Lyin’ Eyes’ by The Eagles. Dean’s not really an Eagles kinda guy so, you wouldn’t have heard it. But this is my dream, so I can play whatever I want on his baby’s radio.” There was a sound of the stereo changing stations and then, it settled on a country song. “When I lived with the Cornwells, I listened to a lot of country. This is Reba McIntire, she’s my favorite.”

Marion closed her eyes and listened to ‘Fancy’ for a few more seconds before the station shifted again and ‘Holy Diver’ started playing. “I’m feeling much fonder of this music now. I didn’t even know who Ronnie James Dio was until I got Dean’s memories.” She looked over to Castiel. “What we did, it’s gonna change me, isn’t it? It’s already starting to.”

“It will not change who you are, fundamentally, but… yes, little things, small aspects of your personality will change. I’m sorry. I should have warned you.”

“It’s okay. I mean, maybe I’m just getting a shot at being the person I would’ve been if the Cornwells hadn’t taken me… I mean, if I hadn’t died and they hadn’t taken me. I’ll just… go with it.”

“You… aren’t upset?” Castiel asked, surprised.

Marion shook her head. She looked up at the stars sparkling about them. “Why are you so nice to me?” She asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve met a grand total of 3 angels. Lucifer mocked me and tried to use me against my brothers. Zachariah threatened me, made me hurt the closest thing I had to a father. But you… you help me. You fill me with calm when I start to panic. You bring me coffee when I haven’t slept well. You were made to be a soldier, just like them, an emotionless servant of God. So, how did you end up so nice?”

“I’m not. I’ve done many things just like Zachariah does, followed blind orders. I had no concept of nice until I was charged with watching your brother and preventing the opening of the seals.” There was a pause. “I suppose I’m nice to you for the same reason Zachariah and Lucifer were antagonistic to you. You are Dean’s twin. This makes you important.”

“Oh.” Marion said, looking down and sliding off the hood.

“Have I upset you?” Castiel asked, following her off the hood.

“No. No, I mean, I should’ve know. I mean, Dean’s the Michael sword. Sam’s… whatever misleadingly weapon-sounding name you’d call Lucifer’s vessel. I’m just… the twin who should’ve been hit by a truck. I’m… Castiel, I’d like to be alone in my dreamscape for a while.”

“Of course.” Castiel said, before disappearing.

Marion opened the driver’s side door and sat down. “That was… unpleasant.” A familiar voice said in the back seat.

Marion turned to the white-haired woman in the blue floral print dress. “Missus?”

“You know, they never told us what we were saving you for… but I was positive there weren’t going to be any boy troubles where-ever He needed you. I didn’t prepare you for this.”

“For Castiel? I don’t think anything could’ve prepared me for crushing on an angel… an angel who seems to be crushing on my brother.” Marion joked. “I definitely couldn’t prepare for that.”

Missus patted Marion’s hand. “All of your social cues come from your brother’s memories. We set you up to fail in the real world. We just never expected you to actually be in the real world.”

“Knowing that you’re just a dream, I can say this… Missus Cornwell, you got played. You were convinced, by an angel, to steal a child. I shouldn’t be here, Cornwell. There is no place for me here. The only reason I was saved was to convince Dean to say ‘yes’ to Michael. I refuse to do that so I have no place in the Apocalypse. I am only important in the aspect of being an appendage of Dean Winchester! The one angel I’ve met who doesn’t treat me terribly still sees me as just… Dean mark 2!”

“He can’t see you as anything else, Marion. He’s an angel. You don’t think he could actually feel anything for you? I know his vessel is attractive and he’s polite and helpful, but there is no chance of you meaning anything to him.” Missus said. Pity filled her voice, but cruelty filled her eyes.

Marion glared and pulled her hand away. “I think I’m going to wake up now.”

~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~

Marion fought her urge to cry as her eyes opened in the back of the impala. “Are we there yet?”

Dean looked into the rearview mirror and tossed a protein bar at her. “3 hours out. Bobby called while you were asleep. He had his guy make you a few I.Ds. He’s going to send them to a motel Sam found off the interstate.”

Marion nodded and stretched as well as she could. “Awesome.” She looked down at the protein bar, disdainfully. “Any chance we could stop for pie somewhere?”

~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~

Marion stood in front of the female victim’s door, in her brand new blue pantsuit. She’d opted out of the visit to the morgue with Dean, choosing to cut her teeth on a simple questioning.

“You ready?” Sam whispered. Marion nodded, taking a deep breath. Sam knocked on the door and waited. As the brunette woman opened the door, Sam and Marion flashed their badges.

“Ma’am. I’m Agent Cliff, this is Agent Wilson. We’d like to talk to you about what happened to your roommate.” Sam said. The roommate nodded and let them in. She was in the process of cleaning and packing.

“So… you were the one who found the bodies?” Sam asked.

The woman nodded. She looked like she was trying not to think about it. “There was blood everywhere… and… other stuff.” An unmistakable look of disgust crossed her face. “I think Alice was already dead.”

“But Russell wasn’t?” Marion asked.

“I think he was, mostly, except… he was still sort of… chewing a little.”

Sam nodded and made sounds of understanding. Marion attempted to swallow away her disgust.

“How do two people even do that… eat each other to death?” Alice’s roommate asked.

“I asked the same question.” Marion muttered.

“It’s a really good question. Now, the last few days, did you notice her acting erratically?” Sam asked.

“How do you mean?”

“I mean, did she seem… unusually hostile, aggressive?” Sam asked.

“No way. Alice never drank, never even swore. She was a nice girl. And I’m talking, like, a nice girl. Like, she still had her promise ring, if you know what I mean.”

“She was a virgin?” Marion asked, trying not to feel upset that she, too, was a ‘nice girl’.

“No premarital. I used to wonder how she did it. I mean, you know, didn’t do it. It was her first date in months. She was so excited.”

Sam turned to Marion. “Apparently, they were both pretty excited.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Sam walked into their motel room, Marion following behind.

“How’d it go?” Dean asked, looking up from the file on his lap and at his siblings.

Sam shook his head. “No EMF, no sulfur. Ghost possession and demonic possession are both probably out.”

“Hm. That’s where I was putting my money.” Dean said.

“Nope.”

“I’m still sayin’ witches.” Marion said, flopping down on one of the beds.

“It’s too big for witches.” Sam responded, taking off his coat.

“Well, then what, then?” Dean asked, rubbing his eyes. “Oh, dude! At the coroner’s… you guys didn’t see these bodies. I mean, these two started eating a-and they just… kept going.” Dean wasn’t even trying to hide his disgust. “I mean, their stomachs were full. Like… like Thanksgiving dinner full. Talk about codependent.” Dean took a drink of his beer and grimaced.

Sam sat at the little table and pulled his laptop in front of him. “Well, we got our feelers out. Not much more we can do tonight. All right. I’m just gonna go through some files. Marion is, obviously, catching up on her sleep. You can go ahead and get going.”

“Sorry?”

“Go ahead. Unleash the kraken. See you tomorrow morning.“

Dean looked confused. “Where am I going?”

“Dean, it’s Valentine’s Day. You favorite holiday, remember? I mean, what do you call it… uh, ‘unattached drifter Christmas’?”

Dean nodded, then shrugged. “Oh, yeah. Well, be that as it may… I don’t know. Guess I’m not feeling it this year.”

Marion sat up and raised an eyebrow at her twin. “So, you’re not into bars full of lonely women?”

“Nah. I guess not.” Dean took a sip of his beer and sighed. “What?”

Sam looked over to Marion, then back to Dean. “It’s when a dog doesn’t eat, that’s when you know something’s really wrong.”

“Remarkably patronizing concern, duly noted. Nothing’s wrong.” Dean looked between Marion and Sam. “We gonna work or what?”

Marion couldn’t help but cast a worried look at Dean. This was so unlike him.

~~~~~~~~~~##########^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, they read about another double suicide and headed to the morgue. As they were heading to the basement, a bald man in a suit walked past. Sam’s eyes followed him, hungrily.

“You okay?” Dean asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Sam said, as the three of them walked through the door.

“Agent Marley, you just can’t stay away.” Dr. Corman, the round gray-haired medical examiner said.

“Heard you tagged another double suicide.” Dean responded.

“Well, I just finished closing them up.”

“Dr. Corman, this is my partner, Special Agent Cliff.” Dean gestured to Sam, then Marion. “And Agent Wilson.”

“Agent Cliff. Agent Wilson. I’ve finished my prelims. I pulled the organ sets and sent off the tox samples.”

Sam nodded slightly. “Great. You mind if we take a look at the bodies?”

“Not at all.” Corman opened the door to refrigerator. “But like I said, their… Good-n-Plenties are already Tupperwared.”

“Super.” Sam said, trying to ignore the nasty feeling that jumped into his throat.

The doctor threw a key-ring at Dean. “Leave the keys with Marty up front. And please, Lady and Gentlemen, refrigerate after opening.” He said, pulling on his jacket and walking out.

Dean smiled and Marion could tell he’d taken a shine to the old M.E. He walked forward and started pulling labeled containers from the fridge and handing them to Sam. As he grabbed the last one and walked over to a metal table, Dean shot a look to their sister. He might have warned her that this case would be gross, and she might have put on a brave face at the time, but the face she wore now said, ‘Dean, please don’t make me do this on my very first case’.

“Hey, Mare. I know you’re eager to get elbows deep in organs, but I’m freakin’ parched. I saw a Coke machine on the way in. you mind grabbing me a soda?” Dean asked, pulling out a few singles from his suit pocket.

Marion gave a small sigh of relief and grabbed the bills.” Anything for you, Sam?” When Sam shook his head, Marion walked out, eager to leave.

~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^**********~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%%~~~~~~~~~~

As Marion approached the door to the morgue, a Coke in one hand and a Dasani water in the other, she heard the unmistakable gravel of Castiel’s voice.

“You’re right, Sam. These are angelic marks. I imagine you’ll find similar marks on the other couples, as well.”

“So, what are they?” Sam asked. “I mean, what do they mean?”

“It’s a mark of union. This man and woman were intended to mate.”

As Castiel spoke, Marion’s cheeks flushed and a warmth spread across her body. Marion twisted the top off of her water bottle and drained it, before leaning against the wall in an attempt to catch her breath. She knew what she was feeling; she’d felt a mild form of it during her teen years when the Cornwells had allowed her to watch a show called ‘Saved by the Bell’ and she’d developed a crush on Zach Morris.

But this was a million times stronger than the dream-and-hormone fueled arousal she’d felt toward that fictional character. Her brain drowned her brothers’ speaking out but captured every word Castiel spoke like he was wearing a microphone hardwired to her brain.

“Well, your people call them ‘Cupid’.” Mumbling from Sam. “What human myth has mistaken for ‘Cupid’ is actually a lower order of angel. Technically, it’s a cherub, third-class.” Incoherence from Dean. “Yeah, they’re all over the world. There are dozens of them.” More mumbling from Dean.

Marion took a deep breath and forced her mind to clear. This angel wanted nothing to do with her, he was emotionless and only nice to her because of Dean. Just like Zach Morris, it was useless to pine for him.

She came back to the present in time to hear Castiel say, “We have to stop him… before he kills again.” and her brothers agree, incredulously. Marion took one last breath and walked through the door.

“So, what’d I miss?”

“Nothin’. Just… huntin’ Cupid, now.” Dean said, snatching his soda from her.

“Oh. Okay. Sure.” She responded, avoiding looking at Castiel.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~

The four of them sat in a restaurant that was decorated in pink and red and hearts. Marion was, unfortunately, unable to secure the seat on the end, away from Castiel, so she was analyzing every decoration and sign in the room. The waitress brought a salad for Sam, a burger for Dean, and a chicken piccata over angel hair for Marion, who was thankful for a new distraction.

Dean pulled the top bun off his burger and glanced at Castiel. “So, what, you happen to know he likes the cosmos at this place?”

Castiel searched the room with his eyes. “This place is a nexus of human reproduction. It’s exactly the kind of-” His searching eyes landed on Dean’s plate. “-of garden the Cupid will come to- to pollinate.”

Dean looked at his burger, disinterested, and then pushed the plate slightly.

“Wait a minute. You’re not hungry?” Sam asked. This brought Marion’s attention to Dean, as well, pulling her from her thoughts questioning how many layers of clothing Castiel had under that coat.

“No.” Dean responded. When Sam and Marion continued to stare, he got louder. “What? I’m not hungry.”

“Then, you’re not gonna finish that?” Castiel asked, reaching across the table to take the plate. Just as he was about to take a bite, he sighed slightly and looked across the room. “He’s here.”

“Where? I don’t see anything.” Sam responded.

“There.” Castiel pointed out a couple just beginning to kiss.

“The ‘same side of the booth’ couple over there?” Dean asked.

“Meet me in the back.” Castiel said, before disappearing.

Sam and Dean both jumped up quickly to head to the restaurant’s back room, but Marion stood slowly. She was sure that she didn’t want to be around a Cupid in her current state.

“Cas, where is he?” Dean asked as Marion approached the doorway.

“I have him tethered.” Castiel responded before speaking Enochian. “Manifest yourself.”

Marion walked in as Dean asked, “Where is he?” and a tall, chubby, nude angel appeared. He hugged Dean tightly.

“Here I am!”

Dean sounded breathless as he called for help. “Oh, help is on the way. Yes, it is. Yes, it is.” Marion could almost see where the idea of Cupid as a baby came from, with all the baby talk. Cupid dropped Dean and moved for Castiel. “Hello, you!” Castiel was stiff as Cupid picked him up into the hug.

“This is Cupid?” Dean asked.

“Yes.”

“And look at you.” Cupid said, setting his sights on Sam. Sam turned to run but Cupid appeared in front of him and wrapped him in a hug, as well.

“Is this a fight? Are we in a fight?” Dean demanded, as Cupid set Sam down and looked, directly, at Marion.

“This is… their handshake.” Castiel explained.

Marion put her hand up. “I’d rather you didn’t, please. I was raised in a very modest environment. I was taught to feel shame in nudity. Being hugged by someone nude, angel or otherwise, would make me feel… dirty.” She said.

“I don’t like it.” Dean said.

“No one likes it.” Castiel said, as the Cupid patted Marion on the head, instead of hugging her, and walked in front of Cas and Dean with a contented smile.

“Mmm. What can I do for you?”

“Why are you doing this?” Castiel’s voice cut through to Marion’s brain again, forcing her to focus on making her brain clear. She found a counter and sat on it.

“Doin’ what?”

“Your targets, the ones you’ve marked, they’re slaughtering each other.”

“What? They are?” Marion could tell Cupid was distraught, even across the room with her eyes closed.

Dean didn’t seem to notice. “Listen, birthday suit, we know, okay? We know you been flittin’ around, poppin’ people with your poison arrow, makin’ ‘em murder each other.”

“What we don’t know is why.” Marion closed her eyes tighter and wished Castiel would just stop talking.

“You think that I- Well, uh… I don’t know what to say.” Marion opened her eyes a bit as she heard the Cupid sobbing.

“Should… should somebody maybe… go talk to him?” Sam suggested.

Dean nodded and lightly hit Castiel with the back of his hand. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Give ‘im hell, Cas.”

Marion closed her eyes again and took a deep breath in anticipation of Castiel speaking. “Um… look. We didn’t mean to, um… hurt your feelings.”

“Love is more than a word to me, you know. I love love. I love it! And if that’s wrong, I don’t wanna be right!” Cupid said.

“Yes, yes. Of course. I, uh… I have no idea what you’re saying.” Castiel admitted.

“I was just on my appointed rounds. Whatever my targets do after that, that’s nothing to do with me. I-I was following my orders. Please, brother. Read my mind. Read my mind, you’ll see.”

After a few seconds, Castiel sighed. “He’s telling the truth.”

“Jiminy Christmas! Thank you.”

“Wait, wait, you said… you said you were just following orders?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Whose orders?” Dean was being gruffer than normal.

“Whose?” Cupid laughed. “Heaven, silly. Heaven.”

“Why does Heaven care if Harry meets Sally?” Dean asked, as Marion made herself join the room again, opening her eyes and jumping off the counter.

“Oh, mostly, they don’t. You know, certain bloodlines, certain destinies. Oh! Like yours.” Cupid gestured to Sam and Dean.

“What?” Sam seemed surprised.

“Yeah. The union of John and Mary Winchester- very big deal upstairs. Top priority arrangement.”

The rage rolled off Dean in waves. “Are you saying you fixed up our parents?”

“Well, not me, but… yeah. Well, it wasn’t easy, either. Ooh, they couldn’t stand each other at first. But when we were done with them; Perfect couple.”

“Perfect?” Marion put a hand on Dean’s shoulder, hoping to calm her twin a bit.

“Yeah.”

“They’re dead!” Dean yelled, causing Marion to flinch.

“I’m sorry, but… the orders were very clear. You and Sam needed to be born. Your parents were just, uh… meant to be.”

Marion didn’t have time to dwell on the fact that she didn’t ‘need to be born’, because the Cupid started singing and Dean pulled away from her to punch the cherub, who then disappeared, as Dean rubbed his knuckles.

“Where is he? Where’d he go?!”

“I believe you upset him.” Castiel said.

“Upset him?!”

Marion rubbed her hands down her face as Sam picked a fight.

“Dean. Enough!”

“What?” Dean snapped.

“You just punched a Cupid!”

“I punched a dick!”

Sam looked at Marion, who shook her head vigorously. “Um… Are we gonna talk about what’s been up with you lately, or not?”

“Or not!”


	5. Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion's first case as a hunter gets difficult.

Marion walked down the road, away from the motel. She was trying to keep her mind clear, but she was having as much luck with that as she was with keeping Dean off edge. She couldn’t stop thinking about Castiel.

In an act of desperation, Marion flagged down a cab. “Will you take me to the nearest Catholic church, please?”

As soon as she walked into the building, she headed to the confessional. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been 3 months since my last confession.”

“Tell me, child.”

Suddenly, Marion didn’t know what to say. She sighed. “I assaulted an old man, the man who kidnapped me when I was young. I stabbed him, once. He didn’t die. I made sure…” She cleared her throat. “I let my brothers use a stolen credit card to buy me clothes, 3 different suits and 4 pairs of blue jeans. They bought the suits so that I could lie and pretend to be an FBI agent, in order to get information to help people… twice. It’s a good cause, but still. I… I disrespected the memory of my dead father once, pretty harshly.”

“Is there more, my child?”

“No.” Marion tried to find the right words. “Yes… I… I have found myself lusting after one of my brother’s friends. I’ve… I haven’t done anything and I-I won’t, because he wants nothing to do with me a-and even if he did… sex before marriage? I… I just… am feeling really… the longer I’m around him, the worse it gets.”

“It is natural to lust, child. You just need to continue to focus on your relationship with God. It will put you on the right path. For the rest, 3 acts of contrition.”

“Thank you, father.” Marion said, exiting the confessional.

 

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

 

Marion walked the 3 miles to the motel, having memorized the streets the taxi took. Marion walked in the door just in time to see Dean and Sam examining a briefcase.

“Hey, Mare. We’re about to crack open this briefcase Sam took off a demon.”

“A demon briefcase? Sure. What’s the worst that could happen?” Marion asked, as Sam and Dean popped open the case and a blinding light escaped.

“Whoa!”

“What the hell was that?” Dean asked.

“It’s a human soul.” Castiel said, appearing behind them, with a bag of burgers. “It’s starting to make sense.” He took a bite from a cheeseburger. Marion couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of an angel eating.

“Now, what about that makes sense?” Sam asked.

“And when did you start eating?” Dean and Marion asked.

“Exactly. My hunger, it’s a clue, actually.” Castiel said, around a mouthful of beef.

“For what?” The siblings all asked.

“This town is not suffering from some love-gone-wrong effect. It’s suffering from hunger. Starvation, to be exact. Specifically… Famine.”

“Famine?” Marion asked.

“As-as in the Horseman?” Sam asked.

Dean threw his hands in the air. “Great. Th-th-that’s freakin’ great.”

Sam looked a little worried. “I thought famine meant starvation, like, as in, you know, food.”

Marion’s mouth went dry as she tried to remove her attention from Castiel. Famine. Hunger. Starvation.

Castiel shoved another burger into his mouth. “Yes. Absolutely. But not just food. I mean, everyone seems to be starving for something; Sex, attention, drugs, love…”

_Castiel. I’m starving for Castiel._ Marion thought, sitting down at the little table.

“Well, that explains the puppy lovers that Cupid shot up.” Dean confirmed, more to himself than anyone else.

“Right. The cherub made them crave love, and then Famine came, and made them rabid for it.”

“Rabid’s a good word for it.” Marion whispered.

“Okay, but what about you? I mean, since when do angels secretly hunger for White Castle?”

Castiel looked down self-consciously. “It’s my vessel, Jimmy. His, uh, appetite for red meat has been touched by Famine’s effect.” He took another bite of burger.

“So, Famine just rolls into town and everybody goes crazy?” Dean asked.

“ ‘And then will come Famine, riding on a black steed. He will ride into the land of plenty… and great will be the Horseman’s hunger, for he is hunger. His hunger will seep out and poison the air’ .” Castiel quoted from memory.

_So hot that he knows the Bible by heart._ Marion laid her head on the table, hoping the cold surface might do something for her flushed cheeks.

“Famine is hungry. He must devour the souls of his victims.” Castiel said.

“So, that’s what was in the briefcase; the Twinkie dude’s soul?” Dean asked.

“Lucifer has sent his demons to care for Famine, to feed him, make certain he’ll be ready.” Castiel said, seriously.

“Ready for what?” Sam asked.

“To march across the land.” Castiel answered.

Sam walked into the bathroom while Marion tried to sink into the table while simultaneously trying to calculate how close she could get to Castiel without arousing suspicions.

“Famine?”

Castiel nodded around his burger. “Yes.”

“So, what? This whole town is just gonna eat, drink, and screw itself to death.” Sam asked, poking his head out of the bathroom, with a washcloth on his neck.

_I’m not the only one. Famine’s got something on Sam, too._

“We should stop it.” Castiel said, nonchalantly.

“Yeah, that’s a great idea. How?” Dean growled.

“How’d you stop the last Horseman you met?” Castiel asked.

Dean ran over to the coat rack and pulled a piece of metal from his jacket pocket. “War got his mojo from this ring. And after we cut it off, he just tucked tail and ran. And everybody that was affected, it was like they woke up out of a dream. You think Famine’s got a class ring, too?”

“I know he does.”

“Well, okay.” Dean exclaimed. “Let’s track him down and get to choppin’.”

Castiel mumbled in agreement and looked at his empty bag, sadly. Marion could just barely see Sam in the bathroom mirror, he was looking worse. She struggled to stand, the heat in her body making her legs feel rubbery. She made it to the bathroom door just as Dean was saying, “Let’s roll.”

Sam looked at Marion. “You okay?” He whispered, breathlessly.

Marion shook her head, slightly. “Famine got us.” She whispered back.

“Shoot for who tells Dean?” Sam suggested, putting the washcloth back in the sink and preparing for Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Marion smiled a little and pushed Sam out the bathroom door. “Dean… I, um… I can’t. We can’t go.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think it got to me, Dean. I think I’m hungry for it…” Sam tried to not say it, but Dean’s face showed he knew.

“Hungry for what?”

“You know.” Sam pushed.

“Demon blood?” Dean raged. “You got to be kidding me! You got to get him out of here. You got to beam him to, like, Montana. Anywhere but here!”

“It won’t work. He’s already infected. The hunger is just going to travel with him.”

“Well, then, what do we do?”

“You go cut that bastard’s finger off.” Sam said, looking to Marion to get her to speak up. “But, Dean… before you go, you better lock us down… but good.”

Dean turned to Marion. “You, too? Really?! What are you hungry for? Were you an alcoholic, or a meth addict? Oh, I got it! Coffee. You’re gonna fill yourself with caffeine until your heart explodes!”

Marion took a deep breath and looked Dean right in the eyes. “I’m a 31 year old virgin who has never been around a single male under 40 with the exception of a priest in training that I did confession to once. And now I’m suddenly in the real world and I spend a lot of time with an angel whose vessel looks like that.” She jutted her finger toward Castiel. “What do you think I’m hungry for, Dean?”

“Really? Cas? That’s disgusting. Cas, grab me some rope on your next burger run.” Dean instructed. Castiel nodded and disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

 

Sam looked over to the tub where Marion was tied up. He could tell she was off in another world. “You okay?”

Marion flinched and looked over at him. “Better than you. You look like a junkie… no offense.”

Sam chuckled, ruefully. “I… I am. Ruby… she got me hooked. She… I only got clean last time because… because God cleaned out my system.”

“I remember. But… you haven’t had any. There’s nothing to clean out this time. Once Dean and Castiel get that ring, you’ll go back to normal. We’ll go back to normal.”

Sam sighed. “You mind if I ask you something? You can say ’no’, if you want.”

“Go ahead. Distractions are welcome.”

“Is your famine just sex in general or… specific to Cas?”

Marion shifted uncomfortably in the tub. “I wish it wasn’t, but it’s Castiel. I’ve had a little crush on him since we got to Bobby’s.” She looked away, mistily. “I started to freak out… because of the implications of what we did… with Dean’s memories. And Cas just reached over and took my hand and filled me with this… warmth… grace. It was…” She sighed, heavily. “So nice. I’ve never felt anything like it.” She chuckled softly. “You think it’s blasphemous to lust after an angel?”

“Yeah, but… if you’re going to Hell for that, I’ll already be there.”

“Just focus, Sammy. We’ll get out of this. We’ll be fine.”

Sam chuckled a bit. “Don’t call me ’Sammy’.”

“Sorry, Sammy. Too many years of Dean sayin’ it in my head.”

Marion and Sam both flinched and twisted in their binds as they heard the hotel room door open and the dresser outside move.

“Guys? Guys, what happened? I don’t think it worked. I think I’m still-” Sam started, as the door opened, revealing two demons.

A female demon walked in and looked directly at Sam. “Look at this. Someone trussed you up for us. Boss says we can’t kill you… but I bet we can break off a few pieces.”

“What about the girl?” The male demon asked.

“Boss said we don’t touch her, at all. Let’s just grab the Vessel and go.”

The male demon leaned down and broke the handcuffs holding Sam to the sink. Marion screamed as Sam pushed the demon backwards and on top of her. She heard crashing and struggling in the main room as the male demon got up.

“Get him off! Get him off!”

“Sam! Sam, stop!” Marion yelled. She couldn’t see him, but she knew what he was doing. There was a sound of breaking wood and then a thud against the wall.

“Wait your turn.” Sam said. It barely sounded like Sam.

“Sam, you can’t do this. Do you remember last time? You only cleaned up because God cleaned you up, remember?! You can’t throw that away!” Marion called.

Sam stumbled into the bathroom and stared down at his sister, blood staining the skin around his mouth. “I had to. Don’t you see? I’m not craving it, anymore. I’m not hungry. I can go help Dean get the ring.” Sam said, pulling at the ropes binding her.

“This is a bad idea, Sam.”

“I can help now!” Sam insisted. A crazy look flashed across Sam’s face. “If you come with me to help, you’d get to see Cas.”

“That’s evil, Sam. Let’s go.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

 

Marion followed Sam to a BigGerson’s restaurant on the edge of town. He said he could smell them. As they snuck up on the restaurant, they could hear Famine and Dean talking.

“You’re all still starving because hunger doesn’t just come from the body, it also comes from the soul.”

“It’s funny, it doesn’t seem to be coming from mine.” Dean quipped.

“Yes. I noticed that. Have you wondered why that is? How you could even walk in my presence?”

“Well, I like to think it’s because of my strength of character.” Dean sounded smug but Marion knew he was faking.

“I disagree. Yes, I see. That’s one deep, dark nothing you got there, Dean. Can’t fill it, can you? Not with food, or drink. Not even with sex.” Famine seemed giddy.

“Oh, you’re so full of crap.” Dean retorted.

Marion and Sam snuck closer to the restaurant doors as Famine continued. “Oh, you can smirk and joke and lie to your brother, to your sister, lie to yourself, but not to me! I can see inside you, Dean. I can see how broken you are, how defeated. You can’t win, and you know it. But you just keep fighting. Just… keep going through the motions. You’re not hungry, Dean, because inside, you’re already… dead.”

It was at this point that Sam stood and walked in. “Let him go!”

Marion took a deep breath in the face of her fear and peeked around the corner into the restaurant. As much as she wanted to run to Dean to help him free himself from the demons holding him, her thoughts filled with Castiel as soon as her eyes fell upon him shoveling raw hamburger meat into his mouth. Marion raced forward, pushing past a demon with enough force to put him into the bar.

She threw herself on the ground in front of Castiel. “My god, it’s sexy that you can eat things that’d make a human sick.”

“Sammy, no!” cut through Marion’s lustful musings. She pulled Castiel’s beef-covered face up to look into blue eyes.

“But you’ve gotta stop. You’re an angel, for fuck’s sake! Pull it together, Cas. You are loyal to my brother. You sacrificed everything you’ve known for millennia because of your loyalty. He needs you. Sam drank the blood.” Marion sniffled as tears started threatening to fall. “Sam drank the blood and something bad is about to happen. I can feel it. Dean is more important than Jimmy’s hunger for meat. Please, Cas. Be stronger than your vessel.”

Castiel looked behind him as the demons in the room were pulled from their vessels. Castiel looked at Marion, determinedly, and shoved his left hand into the dish, then stood, munching on the beef. He stuck his meat-covered right hand out, which Marion grabbed and held it to help her stand.

The two turned around in time to see Sam attempting to use his demon-blood-fueled power on Famine.

“I’m a Horseman, Sam. Your power doesn’t work on me.”

“You’re right. But it will work on them.” Sam responded, and started to pull the black smoke from Famine’s belly. Marion, Dean and Castiel could only stand staring in shock as Sam pulled the demons from Famine. Blood dripped from Sam’s nose as Famine slumped over in his wheelchair.

Marion dropped Castiel’s hand as he dropped the small amount of mincemeat that was left uneaten. Sam wiped at his nose as he was stared at. “I had to! Don’t you see? If I didn’t, Dean would have died.”

“Dean would’ve figured something out. He always does.” Marion said, wiping her hand on her pants to get the hamburger off.

“No. Guys… I had to.” Sam insisted.

Dean looked away. “Cas, can you take him to the panic room at Bobby’s?”

Castiel nodded, appearing next to Sam and then disappearing with him.

Marion walked over to her brother as Dean grabbed the ring. “I heard what Famine said, Dean.”

“Come on! He was just tryin’ to get to me.”

“I would love to think that were true, Dean.” Marion grabbed his arm and turned him to her. “But I’ve got you in my head, and I know you’re different. Everything that’s gone down over the last few years… but I think… I think you gave up in Hell. I think, when you picked up that knife, you died a little, and all those years cutting up souls under Alastair’s watchful eyes… and then you get pulled out and Sam chooses Ruby and her power-laced blood over you, pops Lucifer out of jail. You turned off. Shut down.”

Dean pulled away from Marion and gave his best stone expression. “Still can’t believe Cas gave you those memories.”

“Blocked most of them out, but… I remember the first time you had to… But you didn’t completely shut down until… you had to go back in time to save mom and dad from Anna. Before I even got here. Dean, you didn’t even want to come get me.”

“That had nothing to do with you, Marion.”

“No. It was completely to do with you. You’re so numb, Dean, that you couldn’t even be happy that your long-lost twin was alive until Bobby told you to be. Dean, you can’t fix this by lying to everyone, saying you’re okay.”

“It can’t be fixed. And if it can’t be fixed, there’s no point in talking about it.” Dean leaned against a booth. “Now, we get to go back to Bobby’s and watch our brother detox. And we’re not gonna talk about this, anymore.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

 

It hadn’t taken long after being ‘beamed’ to Bobby’s for Marion to venture out of the basement and away from Sam’s screams. Between Sam’s pleading, Dean’s drinking and the general discomfort between her and Castiel, she found herself searching for relief. At the top of the stairs, a bottle caught her eye. She’d never had anything stronger than wine, and never more than a glass or two, but the bottle called to her. She grabbed it and headed out into the scrap yard.

Marion knew she wouldn’t like Jack Daniels, so she chugged as much down as she could, all at once, then set the bottle in the shotgun seat of the broken down Chevy she’d chosen. She’d wait until the alcohol kicked in, then she’d drink some more. Eventually, she wouldn’t be able to taste it.

“Are you sure that drinking, by yourself out here, is a good idea?” Castiel asked, appearing in the backseat.

“Go away, Castiel. Drinking is not supposed to be a good idea. It’s just supposed to make me feel better.”

“You don’t seem to be feeling better.”

“Well, it’ll be kickin’ in soon, I’m sure.”

“I know the situation with Sam is disheartening, but-”

Marion finally turned to him. “The situation with Sam isn’t even the half of it! Sam acted exactly the way an addict should. Famine got his hunger up and then dangled his drug in front of him. I couldn’t expect him to resist. And he’ll be fine in a few days because it was just one hit. Not months of consuming. Sam’ll be fine.” Marion smiled sadly. “But Dean… I don’t think there is a fix for him.”

“And you?”

“What about me? You said yourself, the only reason I’m important is because of Dean. But I’m not even important to Dean. Nothing is important to Dean, anymore.”

Castiel sat forward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that you were only important because of Dean. You are important… that was just the only reason I could… put into words.”

As the alcohol started to hit her, Marion squinted at him in confusion. “Huh?”

“I do not express emotion well. I most often cannot recognize emotions. I still… can’t quite… I am nice to you because… your smile makes me…happy.” Castiel said, nervously.

Marion grabbed the bottle and took another few chugs of the brown liquor. “Do you know how confusing you are? I don’t even…”

Castiel leaned forward, took the bottle and pressed his lips to hers. Marion just stared at him, too shocked to move. Castiel sat back and set the bottle on the seat next to him.

“After years of watching humans… I hope I got that… right.” Castiel said, looking down.

Marion climbed over the seats into the back seat and plopped next to Castiel. “Well, I wouldn’t know from my own experience… and Dean’s never kissed anyone so sweetly before.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes contently. “But it felt right to me.”

Castiel sat tensely. Marion looked up at him as she felt her head begin to swim. “You know, you can relax. This is supposed to be nice.”

“I have a concern.” Castiel said. Marion sat up. “I am very fond of Dean. I consider him to be… almost a friend. Am I right to assume that it might be considered disloyal for a friend to engage in a romantic relationship with a friend’s sister?”

“I wish I could say that Dean wouldn’t care but… he’d be pissed.”

“You’d risk Dean’s rage to be with me?”

“Of course. You’re my Prince Charming.” The blank look on Castiel’s face told her that she needed to explain better. “When I was growing up, I was only allowed to watch Disney animated movies, only allowed to read the classics. Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Dickens, Bronte sisters… So, I grew up expecting someone to save me. I knew that I didn’t belong with the Cornwells. I fancied myself Rapunzel. Kept away from the real world, not really harmed by the evil witch who stole her, but still… damaged. It’s one of the reasons I’ve kept my hair so long. Just waiting for someone to come along and call out ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel’. You…”

Marion smiled up at Castiel. “If you hadn’t come and given me Dean’s memories… I would never have believed them. I would’ve thought they were as crazy as the other patients in the psych ward. I would’ve called the nurses and they would’ve ghosted. And Zachariah would have killed me. So, you saved me. You are my Disney Prince.”

Castiel smiled. “I understand now.” He said, before looking up, abruptly. “Dean is coming.”

Marion quickly grabbed the back of Castiel’s head and planted a quick kiss on his lips before he disappeared.

Dean walked into her eye line just after Castiel left holding a whiskey bottle and muttering to himself. She considered hiding, but chose, instead, to grab her bottle and open the car door.

“There you are! What the hell are you doing out here?” Dean demanded.

“Same as you, apparently. Drinking and praying.” Marion said, getting out of the Chevy and slamming the door.

“I wasn’t praying. God’s a dick. Everyone in Heaven is a dick. Cas is the only person associated with Heaven who’s not a dick. I don’t pray.”

“Oh, you aren’t that desperate yet? You aren’t feeling so empty that you’re willing to seek help from a higher power? Big surprise! Dean Winchester is being stubborn.” Marion shook her head and tried to push past him.

“Wow, you’re a bitchy drunk, you know that?”

“I don’t give a damn, Dean. You’re bitchy at your best.”

“Whoa. Calm down.” Dean said, stepping in front of her. “Look, I’m not gonna lie. What Famine said hit a chord, so did your rant afterward. But right now, there are more important things to focus on. Sam’s in the basement hallucinating and screaming. We’ve got Lucifer and the archangels trying to bring the damn End Times. And my twin sister has a crush on an angel. All more important than how much my life sucks.”

At the look on his sister’s face, Dean smirked. “Even if I hadn’t realized that your hunger was suspiciously Castiel-focused, which I did… Sam started to list off our faults and addictions to get back at us for locking him. Only thing he could list for you was your crush on an angel.”

Marion hung her head. Dean put his arm around her shoulders and started walking toward the house. “Aw, don’t feel bad. He had a list of flaws for me and Bobby.”

She pulled away. “I don’t… feel bad, Dean. I had a priest absolve my guilt on this. Especially for someone in my position, it’s completely normal to cling to an attractive male. I mean, he’s…” Marion exhaled loudly. “I used to spend all of my time around the Cornwells, now I spend all my time with my brothers and Bobby. So… until we start spending time with other… less holy men, I will not feel bad.”

“Wow. You got really serious, there. Come on. Let’s put our bottles together and get a little silly.”

A smirk crept across Marion’s lips, as she put herself back in Dean’s arms and headed toward the house. It was a good sign that Dean knew about her feelings for Castiel, knew that she was unashamed and didn’t care. Maybe Dean wouldn’t care when he found out. Maybe it’d be better to just tell him now.

“Glad Cas isn’t a ‘less holy’ man, because I gotta say, I think I’d have to kill the guy who takes away my ‘Virgin ying’.” Dean mused.

_ Maybe not. _

“You know that it’s ‘Yin’, right? Not ‘Ying’.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion was honestly hoping not to find any of the flesh-eating ghouls her brothers were convinced they were going to find. Not because she was scared or had any problems with head-shots. She was hoping, for Bobby’s sake, that she wouldn’t find anything.

As she sneaked around the outside of a large house on the outskirts of Sioux Falls, a figure stepped out of the shadows behind her.

“Wow. You just jumped right into this hunting thing, didn’t you?”

Marion pulled her Glock and turned to the voice.

“Who are you?”

The skinny teen with the blonde curls looked down at herself. “I know… not the best choice but there’s slim pickin’s in Sioux Falls.” She walked forward. “You’re Marion Winchester, right? Well, I’m Meg. Reach into Dean’s memories. You’ll recognize the name.”

Marion aimed her gun straight at Meg’s vessel’s head. “Meg Masters? You killed Jo and Ellen.”

“You never even met them. Don’t act offended that I killed someone you never met.” Meg said, walking forward more. “And you know that gun won’t even touch me. All you’d be doing is killing this vessel. I don’t think you’re gonna want to deal with this poor girl’s parents when I flee this meatsuit.”

Marion lowered the gun. “What are you doing here? I thought you were following Lucifer around like one of your hell-hounds.”

“Well, don’t act like I want to be here. Lucifer sent me to possess you.”

Marion’s eyes grew. “Exoricamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omni -” Marion rambled, before Meg put her hand over her mouth and pushed her into the siding of the house.

“Just not quick enough, Mary. You know, I would expect you to have one of those pretty tattoos or at least one of those nice gold charms. You’d think your brothers would have learned their lesson when I took Sam a few years ago. But, I guess, they just forgot to take you to get yours.”

Marion struggled and mumbled under the teenage girl’s strong hands.

“They won’t believe I’m you? Sadly for you, I’m a really good actor. The only reason Dean caught on when I took Sam was because I disappeared for a few days and killed some people. But I was trying to rattle Dean, then. I’m on recon this time, much less fun. The only problem I could foresee was your boyfriend Castiel seeing past your face, into mine. But lucky for me, I work for the First Fallen. He’s got all kinds of neat toys.” Meg pulled a silver-colored necklace from her pocket and slipped it over Marion’s head. She then smiled, evilly, and threw her head back as a plume of black smoke poured from her mouth and headed to Marion’s.

“Wow, it’s weird in here. Me, and Dean, and just a tiny bit of Marion.”

Meg pulled away from the wall and stepped over the vessel she’d just vacated. She found a window and looked at her reflection. “Eh, not bad. I’ve had worse vessels. Gotta do something about that hair, though. We look like a Pentecostal Sunday School teacher.”

_ You can’t cut my hair! I’ve been growing my hair out for years! It’ll be a dead give away that I’m possessed. _

Meg closed her eyes for a second and Marion felt her rifling through her memories. “Two things, Mary Mary. One, I was totally joking earlier when I called Castiel your boyfriend, but hey, who am I to judge? Not looking forward to bedding an angel, but whatever. Two, everyone is expecting you to change because of Dean’s memories. Putting away the Rapunzel theme might just be an example of Dean coming through. See? I got this.”

_ Please, don’t cut my hair. _

“Don’t worry. It’s not gonna be as short and slutty as the real Meg’s was.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg had pushed Marion away to the back of her mind. She didn’t need that distraction as she walked over to meet with Sam and Dean at Bobby’s.

The boys stared at her for a few seconds without blinking. Meg had the barber cut the hair to shoulder length and taken the dark blonde locks to a bright strawberry blonde color. “What?” Meg asked.

“We’re trying to find evidence of zombies and you get your hair done?” Dean asked.

“Look, I checked my part of the list. Nada. So, rather than come here and baby-sit Bobby and his wife with Dean, I thought I’d do something constructive. My hair was too long. It kept getting caught on stuff when I was trying to sneak around.”

“Whatever. You might not have found anything suspicious but I did. Mrs. Jones turned. She ate her husband. So, yeah. Zombies.” Sam said.

“Okay, so, I’ll go through the list again, see if there’s anyone else about to turn. You guys go talk to Bobby. I doubt he’ll hear you, but try.” Meg said, starting to walk away.

“Are you okay?” Dean called after her.

“Just worried that I might have missed something.” Meg responded.

_They’ll figure it out._

**Oh, sweetie. None of them knows you well enough to tell you’ve changed. You know them, but they’ve only known you for a month. Stop hoping for an exorcism.**

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg watched from the top of a stack of cars as a hoard of zombies chased Dean and Bobby back into the house. _Help them!_

“It’s not in my job description. Besides, I’m kinda hoping that Dean-o will end up in a chair like the old man. I gotta go hide in one of these cars. I’m sure Sammy will save ‘em soon.” Meg whispered, jumping down to hide in one of the junkers.

_ If you’re supposed to be acting like me, why aren’t you taking a shotgun to those zombies? _

**Because I don’t have to. I can sit in here with a knot on my head and they’ll assume I got attacked and hid.**

_What knot?_ Marion asked. Meg responded by hitting her head against the window beside her. The window cracked, but Meg just sighed and leaned back to fall asleep for the illusion of passing out.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg woke up to Dean pulling the door next to her open. Her hand went to her head. “Oh, man. Did we get ‘em?”

Dean pulled her from the car and carried her to the house. “You okay?” He asked, pulling her hair away from the abrasion there.

“I don’t see any zombies. We won?” Meg asked, groggily.

“Yeah. Sam and the sheriff got ‘em all. How’d you end up out there?” Dean asked.

“I don’t really… I stopped by one of the houses on my list. I was being chased… hit my head. They were after me… I don’t know.” Meg lied.

_Dean! You can’t believe this_!

Meg pushed Marion to the back of her mind and smiled, weakly, at Dean. Dean seemed to search her eyes for a second, before hugging her.

“You’ve gotta be careful, Mare. I couldn’t stand losing you again.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Dean. I’m not going anywhere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me Kudos.


	6. Sugar, We're Going Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meg is a better actress than even she thought. Marion doesn't deal well with the consequences of Meg's actions.

Meg sat on the bathroom sink with the shower running, cell phone in her hand. She hadn’t been able to carry around a bowl full of blood to contact her superiors, so she was forced to do things the human way.

**Dean distraught. Sam putting on a strong face. Castiel still none the wiser.**

Meg turned off the shower and was getting ready to wrap her hair in a towel when she heard the door being jimmied. She opened the door just enough to see two men in masks holding shotguns on Sam and Dean. After debating whether or not to stop it, Meg decided to sit it out.

“Looking for this?” One of the men asked. There was a sound of a cartridge ejecting from a gun and then a thunk.

“Mornin’.” Dean said.

“Shut up. Hands where I can see ‘em.” The intruder ordered.

“Wait a minute. Is that you, Roy? It is, isn’t? Which makes you Walt. Hiya, Walt.” Dean said, smugly.

“Don’t matter.” The second intruder, Walt said.

“Well, is it just me, or do you two seem a tad upset?” Dean asked.

“You think you can flip the switch on the Apocalypse and just walk away, Sam?” Walt asked.

“Who told you that?” Sam asked.

“We ain’t the only hunters after you.” Walt said before the sound of a shotgun pumping.

“Hear me out. I can explain, okay? Please.” Sam begged. Then, there was the sound of a shotgun blast.

“Stay the hell down!” Roy shouted.

“Shoot ‘im.” Walt ordered.

“Killin’ Sam was right, but Dean…”

“He made us and we just snuffed his brother, you idiot. You wanna spend the rest of your life knowin’ Dean Winchester’s on your ass, cause I don’t? Shoot ‘im.” Walt ordered.

“Go ahead, Roy, do it. But I’m gonna warn you, when I come back, I’m gonna be pissed. C’mon! Let’s get this show on the road.” Dean shouted.

“Come on, already.” Walt said, then there was another blast.

Meg took this opportunity to swing the door open. “What’d I miss, boys?”

Walt and Roy turned in shock, raising their shotguns. “Who the fuck are you?” Walt demanded.

“Well, that’s a loaded question.” Meg said, walking forward. “See, those two dead schmucks on the beds, they think I’m their sister. But really, I’m just wearing her face.” Meg let her eyes go black. “It’s been weeks since I got to murder someone. Thanks for showing up.” Meg said, before pulling the shotgun out of Walt’s hand and shooting Roy in the face. Then, she grabbed Walt by the throat and squeezed until the blood vessels in his eyes burst. Then she threw him on the floor. Surveying the scene, she pulled her phone out and hit the third speed dial.

“Hello?” Castiel’s voice came through the phone.

“They’re dead! Sam and Dean are dead! These hunters… they shot ‘em! I- I…” Meg cried, making real tears fall from her eyes.

“Where are you?”

“Sunlight Motel, SR-80.”

Castiel was beside her in half a second. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his shoulder. “It will be fine. Heaven will not let them stay dead. They need them to be alive. What… what happened to the assailants?”

“I-I couldn’t… they were… they came in here and killed my brothers. I couldn’t let them get away with it.”

“You killed them? That is understandable, Marion. Let me deal with this. Can I take you somewhere else while I fix this? Bobby’s?” Castiel asked, pulling back to look her in her tear-drenched green eyes.

“I can’t stay here?”

“I would rather you stay away while I fix this, Marion.”

Meg nodded, sadly. “It will be okay. They’ll be okay, right? You promise?”

Castiel nodded. “I promise.”

Meg attempted a smile and kissed Castiel, softly.

“Please… Bobby’s is fine.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg sat on Bobby’s couch and waited. It had only been a few minutes between Cas dropping her off and him showing back up. “Dean called. They’re back. He has to tell me something. Let’s go.”

Meg grabbed Castiel’s hand and they were suddenly back in the motel room. All trace of her killing Roy and Walt was gone and Dean and Sam were up and moving, already packing. Meg wrapped her arms around Dean’s neck. “Oh, my god! I was so worried.” She cried.

“The damn Disney brothers can’t keep us down. And when I find them…”

“That won’t be an issue. It’s been taken care of.” Castiel responded. “What did Joshua say?”

Dean sighed. “You’re not gonna like it.”

“What did he say?”

“He said… God doesn’t see how any of this is His problem. He says he’s intervened enough by putting me and Sam on that plane and by bringing you back. Josh said that’s all God is gonna do to help us. We’re SOL with this.”

Castiel looked lost and dismayed as he leaned against the partition by the door. “Maybe… maybe Joshua was lying.”

Meg sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Castiel. Dean was already packed and ready to leave.

“I don’t think he was, Cas. I’m sorry.” Sam said, finishing his packing.

Meg stood as Castiel walked into the doorway and looked up. “You son of a bitch. I believed in-…” He searched the sky for a while, then reached into his pocket, turning to Dean. “I don’t need this anymore. It’s worthless.”

Meg put her hand on Castiel’s shoulder, trying to seem sympathetic. “Cas. Wait.” Sam said, before Castiel disappeared.

“We’ll find another way.” Sam said.

“We can still stop this, Dean.” Meg said.

“How?” Dean said, dejected.

“I don’t know, but we’ll find it. You, me and Marion, we’ll find it.”

Dean didn’t believe. Meg and Sam could both see that. It was made even more clear when Dean dropped his necklace in the garbage and walked out. Meg pulled the necklace out of the trash, then grabbed Marion’s bag and walked out behind him. Sam followed them out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg sat in the tavern in Blue Earth, shaking her head. She pulled out her phone and made sure Sam was busy with the owner, Paul, at the bar.

**In Blue Earth. The Whore is doing a wonderful job. I’ll try to make sure the Winchesters don’t fuck it up. It’s about to turn bloody here.**

As Sam did shots with Paul, Meg got a text back.

 **If possible, get the Winchesters out of Blue Earth**.

**Not possible. They’re pretty sure there’s something going on. They won’t just leave. I’ll try to keep them out of it.**

Meg deleted the sent and received messages and walked over to the bar. “Come on, Sam. Curfew’s coming up soon. We gotta get back to the motel.”

Sam nodded and stood. “Can’t ignore the curfew.”

Paul gave a small salute as Meg and Sam headed out the tavern door.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg relished being in her own motel room for once. The townspeople had insisted that a woman could not sleep in the same room with two men, even if they were related. She was getting ready to sneak out and, maybe, get some time in with The Whore, when Castiel appeared in her room.

 **Great. More angel smooches**. “Cas, you haven’t been answering the phone.” Meg said, bouncing off the bed and walking over to him.

Castiel didn’t answer her, grabbing her arms and pulling her into a rough kiss, his tongue entering her shocked mouth. Meg could taste many different alcohols on his tongue, but tequila stood out as the most recent addition.

“Have you been drinking?” Meg asked, when Castiel pulled away and pushed her backwards onto the bed. Castiel was on top of her, kissing and biting at her neck instantly. Meg marveled at how alcohol could turn the angel into an animal.

Castiel pulled back and looked into her eyes. “God doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about the Apocalypse. He won’t care about this.” He said, reaching down to the collar of her shirt and ripping it from top to bottom.

“Cas!” Meg exclaimed.

“We are in a relationship. This is how a relationship progresses.” Cas said, pulling at the button on her jeans.

“I’m not saying… this is how relationships progress and we’ve been together long enough to go past holding hands and stealing kisses when my brothers are out of the room. But are you sure you wanna do this?”

Castiel pulled her pants off in one motion. “I’m Fallen. I don’t do things I don’t want to do, any longer. I want to know what it’s like. I want to do this. Now, take off your underclothes.”

 **Why not? HEY! Mary Mary! ‘bout to fuck your boyfriend.** Marion didn't answer. She hadn't responded to Meg in weeks.

Meg smirked and pulled the scraps of her shirt off, then focused on her bra, while Castiel pulled her underwear down. He stared down at her for a few moments. “You are beautiful.” He whispered.

“Thanks. How about we get those layers of cloth off of you?” Meg responded, pulling at his trench coat and trying to kiss him, simultaneously.

Once she got him naked, she took a second to admired him, too. Castiel had picked a good vessel in Jimmy Novak. She made an appreciative sound before grabbing his ass and flipping them so she was on top. She started kissing down his chest, spending a bit of extra time showing her appreciation to his abs and hips. As Meg got to her target and started to do things with her mouth that Marion wouldn’t have known how to do, Castiel’s hands found her hair. His moans picked up and Meg pulled back and sat up.

“Shh. Motel walls are notoriously thin. And we’re the only ones staying here. Don’t want my brothers, Dean especially, to know.”

Castiel grabbed her shoulders and pushed her to the bed. As Castiel followed what his instincts and his many years of watching humans told him to do, Meg wondered if she should pretend to be hurt when Marion’s virginity was taken. She decided to forget the pain and just roll with the pleasure of fucking an angel.

It was no time at before Meg had forgotten about the thin walls of the motel and was moaning loudly. Castiel, however, was only letting out a grunt every once in a while. Castiel put his left hand on the wall to steady himself, and put his right hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving. With a quick last few pumps, Castiel pulled his hand off the wall and wrapped Meg in a tight embrace, collapsing on top of her.

“That was… better than it seemed to be, watching from afar.” Castiel whispered.

“Well, I’ve never watched it, but… it was better than primetime television made it seem.” Meg answered. She had to say, it was definitely something amazing to do it with an angel. She sat up, quickly. “Oh, my god! I was so loud! What am I going to tell Sam and Dean?”

“Tell them it was the television. I have to go talk to them.” Castiel said, standing. He was almost immediately fully clothed again.

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” Meg was barely able to finish her sentence before Castiel disappeared. “Wow. I was just wham-bammed by an angel.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg grabbed her phone to text her contact that Castiel had completely gone off the reservation and was not a strong supporter of God. She then took a long shower. Meg threw away her ripped shirt and pulled another out of Marion’s bag. Then, she headed out the door and over to Sam and Dean’s room. As she opened the door, she heard Dean speaking.

“What’s starting? Where the hell have you been?”

“On a bender.” Castiel replied, his eyes jumping up to meet Meg’s, then looking down.

“Did he- did you say ‘on a bender’?” Dean asked.

“Yeah. He’s still pretty smashed.” Sam replied.

“It is not of import. We need to talk about what’s happening here.” Castiel said. He seemed pissed.

“Well, I’m all ears.” Dean said.

“Me, too.” Meg said.

“Well, for starters… Leah is not a real prophet.” Sam began.

“Well, what is she, exactly?” Dean asked.

“The Whore.” Castiel said, bluntly.

“Wow. Cas, tell us what you really think.”

Castiel seemed to be getting more annoyed. “She rises when Lucifer walks the earth. ‘And she shall come, bearing false prophesy’. This creature has the power to take a human’s form, read minds. Book of Revelation calls her ‘The Whore of Babylon’.”

“Well, that’s catchy.” Dean responded.

“The real Leah was probably killed months ago.” Sam said somberly.

“What about the demons attacking the town?” Meg asked.

“They’re under her control.” Castiel confirmed.

“And the Enochian exorcism?” Dean asked.

“Fake. It actually means, ‘you, um, breed with the mouth of a goat’.” While Meg gave a little giggle, Sam and Dean just stared at him. “It’s funnier in Enochian.”

“So, the demons smoking out, that was just a con? Why? What’s the endgame?” Dean asked.

“What you just saw, innocent blood spilled in God’s name.” Castiel answered.

“You heard all that Heaven talk. She manipulates people.” Sam said.

“To slaughter and kill and sing preppy little hymns. Awesome.”

“Her goal is to condemn as many souls to Hell as possible. And it’s… just beginning. She’s well on her way to dragging this whole town into the pit.” Castiel explained.

“All right. So, then, how do we go Pimp of Babylon all over this bitch?”

“Give me a minute.” Castiel disappeared and then reappeared with a large wooden stake. “The Whore can be killed with that. It’s a stake made from a cypress tree in Babylon.”

“Great. Let’s ventilate her.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“ ‘Course not.” Meg said, sarcastically.

“The Whore can only be killed by a true Servant of Heaven.” Castiel finished.

“Servant, like…”

“Not you. Or me. Sam, of course, is an abomination. Marion… not likely.” Castiel said, pointedly avoiding looking at her. “We’ll have to find someone else.”

“What about Pastor Gideon? I mean… I know that sucks, cause she looks like his daughter, but…” Meg suggested.

“That’s actually a pretty good idea.” Sam agreed. “Cas, can you go get him? I’m pretty sure we’ll be shot if we’re seen out after curfew.”

Castiel sighed, heavily. “Fine.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg made sure to stay out of the fight. She couldn’t risk getting splashed with some of the holy water that was sitting on the table or get nicked by any of the silver around the church. She grabbed one of the parishioners, just one, and pulled her out of the room while Dean, Sam and the pastor took care of the Whore, and Jane and Rob. She let the woman get a few punches in, then choked her until she passed out. She got back just in time to watch the Whore shaking and pouring black smoke through a hole in her chest.

**Guess your bro’s back on with his pledge to the angels. The Apocalypse will go just the way they want. Time to give a sit-rep and get the heck out of here.**

As Sam and Dean grabbed Castiel and Pastor Gideon, Meg excused herself to the bathroom. She pulled out her phone and dialed the number she had been texting.

“Their little angel is broken, distraught to learn that God just doesn’t care. Not even acting like an angel anymore. Sam’s still trying to find his footing but he’s nothing without Dean, and Dean is this close to saying ‘yes’ to Michael. He’s breaking down. So, can I please leave this detail?”

“Let me ask Lucifer.” The voice on the other end said. “Come on back.”

“Thank you! I’ll be back within the next few hours.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Meg sat on the bed in her motel room. She heard Dean take off and Sam call after him, figured it’d be the perfect time to disappear. She threw her head back and left Marion’s body.

Marion woke 20 minutes later, in control of her body for the first time in a month. She started sobbing, loud enough that Sam bust her door open.

“Mare! What happened?” Sam asked, sitting next to her and trying to coax her to turn over.

“She said you wouldn’t notice, that you couldn’t tell. And none of you did. Not one!” Marion sobbed.

“What are you talking about? Didn’t notice what?”

“Me!” Marion turned over. “A demon has been wearing me for a month and none of you noticed! Not Dean. Not you. Not even Castiel.” Mentioning Castiel made her cry even harder.

“Oh, my… a month? How could we not know?”

Marion pushed her brother’s chest, trying to get him away from her. “I don’t know! But you didn’t. Just… leave me alone.”

“No. Sit up.” Sam pulled Marion into a sitting position. “I’ve been possessed. Not nearly as long as you were, but I know. You’re in there, screaming, watching while your body is used to hurt the ones you love, to kill. Why… why did the demon stay so long? Was it here to keep tabs on us?”

“Recon. Meg called it ‘recon’. She wasn’t here to hurt anyone but me. None of you knew.”

“We couldn’t have. If a demon… wait, we’ve been in churches. You helped with an exorcism last week. I mean… the demon did. How?”

“Stupid amulet. Meg could act more human. Not be detected.”

“Meg?! Meg possessed you?”

“Just like you. Couldn’t think to get me some protection from possession? Never crossed your minds, did it?”

“You had Dean's memories and you forgot to get your tattoo, too. Look, I’m gonna get Cas back here. We need to find Dean and get you to Bobby’s.”

“No! Please. Please. I don’t want to see Castiel.” Marion begged.

“Mare. I know you gotta be upset. I was too. I’m upset for you. But we need Cas to take you to Bobby’s. We need him to help me find Dean. Can we just do this? And then, you can ignore him like you usually do.”

Marion stood and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her and turning on the water to splash her face.

“Yeah, Cas. I need you back here. Marion’s room.”

“I just left.” Castiel’s voice came through the door.

“We’ve got two big problems. One, Dean took off. I’m pretty sure I know where he went, but after he’s done saying goodbye, I’m pretty sure he’s either gonna kill himself or he’s gonna say ‘yes’.”

“This is bad. What other problem is there?”

“Yeah. This one’s even worse. Marion just told me that… she hasn’t been herself for the last month. The demon, Meg, has been possessing her since… probably the zombie outbreak in Sioux Falls.”

There was silence on the other side of the door as Marion turned off the sink and leaned against the wall by the window.

“Marion.” Castiel called out.

“Please. Go away, Castiel. I‘ll stay here while you go find Dean.”

Marion turned around when a whoosh of air told her Castiel had bypassed the door. “We need to talk.”

“Talk?! I can’t even look at you, right now!” She said, turning toward the tiny bathroom window.

“Marion… I didn’t know.” He whispered, putting his hand on her shoulder. She flinched away.

“If there was anyone that should know I was possessed, it’s you.”

There was a moment of silence as Castiel moved his hand from her shoulder to her hair, finding a piece and twirling it between his fingers. “I couldn’t see her true face. I should have been able to. I found some of her actions odd, but I just attributed it to your rapidly changing situations and…”

“Dean’s memories. She told me that you’d all think it was because of the memories changing me.” Marion whispered.

“I’m sorry. For not knowing. For…”

“For taking my virginity in a drunken haze while she was in control of my body?” Marion asked, turning and pushing him away at the same time.

Castiel looked away. “Yes. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“I hope you feel as dirty and low as you’ve made me feel, Castiel.” She said, wiping at her eyes. “Take me to Bobby’s and go find my brother.”

As Marion opened her eyes in Bobby’s study, she looked in Castiel’s eyes for the first time. “Do not… ever touch me again.”

Castiel nodded in sad understanding and disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat on the couch in Bobby’s study, a large glass of lukewarm Coke in her hand. She’d filled it halfway with Jack Daniels when Bobby wasn’t looking and hid the bottle where she could easily get to it.

“Soda can’t mask that smell, girl.” Bobby rolled up in front of her. “I get that you’re a bit messed up right now and I can understand picking up the bottle, but don’t try to hide it. You, maybe, wanna talk about it?”

Marion looked up. “I don’t know if I’m even gonna be able to talk to my brothers about this.”

“Maybe it’s better to talk to someone aside from family.”

Marion sighed, taking a drink from her cup, then sitting forward. “A few weeks before Meg took me, Castiel and I… we decided to… to pursue a relationship, secret of course. We didn’t want Dean to know. It was innocent. A few kisses, no tongue, a bit of snuggling when Sam and Dean were already asleep.” She tapped her fingernails against her cup. “After she took me, it didn’t really change much. Meg wasn’t big on… ‘angel smooches’. But Castiel got a bit bolder as the month went by… and then he found out that God didn’t care. He was made bold by alcohol and Meg was up for a new experience so…”

“You don’t need to finish, Marion. I get where you’re goin’ with this. I understand why you’re so upset. Is there anything I can do?” Bobby asked.

“No. It’s not something that can be helped. I just… have to get over it.”

“I know you’re mad… but none of us knew. That amulet made it impossible for us to tell. I wish we had been able to tell, but there really was no way to. I’m not saying you need to forgive the angel, but… it wasn’t his fault.”

Marion stood up, towering over Bobby in his chair. “She killed two hunters. I would never- and he didn’t second guess it. He didn’t care. He cleaned it up for her!”

“Roy and Walt?” Bobby asked.

“Yes! He thought that I would take my brothers’ deaths as an excuse to murder two hunters. That should have been a bigger red flag than her cutting my hair in the middle of a zombie outbreak. I may forgive him for having sex with her… someday, but I will never agree that it wasn’t his fault, because he should have known.”

Marion’s eyes jumped up as Castiel arrived with Dean in his arms and Sam next to him. Castiel dropped Dean on the couch and stepped aside. Dean started to wake up and immediately looked pissed.

“Great. This is just great. This the part where we try to talk me out of this?” Dean asked.

“No. This is the part where we tell you we’re not going to let you do this.” Sam said.

Dean looked from Sam to Bobby, then Marion, who was looking at the ground. “Mare? You seem… way sadder about this than everyone else. Everybody else looks pissed.”

Marion looked up just enough to catch Dean’s eyes. “They are. They’re pissed that you are trying to give up when they’ve been doing everything they can to keep going. I… I could not care less what you do. This is what you were born for. And I’ve spent the majority of my life locked up away from the real world, so what does it matter if Michael and Lucifer destroy half of the world in their fight? And if you were to leave… at least then, you wouldn’t be here to notice that I’m not the girl you’ve gotten used to.”

Dean looked at Bobby and Sam, confused. “What’s she talking about?”

“I’m talking about a demon wearing me for a month with no one noticing. I’m talking about my hands being used to strangle the life out of a fellow hunter, to shoot another in the face. Talkin’ about my hair, that I had sentimental attachment to, being cut, and my body being used and defiled.”

“A demon? For a month?”

“Don’t. Don’t ask how you didn’t notice. And don’t apologize for not noticing. I’ve heard it all from these three. Meg took me when I was looking for signs of zombies. She cut my hair because it was in her way. And then, she spent the next month reporting on you to Lucifer. She killed Walt and Roy after they killed you and then… Castiel cleaned up her mess.”

“Why would he…”

“Because I thought I was doing it for Marion.” Castiel interrupted.

“You thought you… you covered up two murders for Marion?”

Castiel chose to look off out the window.

“Am I missing something?” Dean asked, standing up.

Bobby, Sam and Castiel all looked away, but Marion caught his eyes again, almost daring his mind to catch up to the rest of the class.

“Wait. You said your body was defiled… Virgin Ying?” Dean asked, quietly.

Marion gave a slight nod, which was enough for Dean to dart over to Castiel and punch him, doing more damage to his own fist then Castiel.

“My sister, Cas?! My damn sister?!” Dean yelled.

Marion grabbed Dean’s arm and pulled him away. “We were already in a relationship before Meg took me. Meg was pretending to be me. She had to go along with the… advances.”

“You hear that? She didn’t even want it?” Dean shouted.

“Stop. I would have… I’m sure. In time. But not under the circumstances. But just like you, just like Sam, just like Bobby, Castiel couldn’t tell that she wasn’t me. He thought he was experiencing something new with his… girlfriend. And he was drunk.”

“Wait. This was yesterday? It wasn’t the tv, was it? It was Meg and Cas… this is just so frickin’ wrong!”

“I agree. But there is nothing we can do about it now. And you won’t have to worry about me forgiving Cas, because you’re about to give up and you won’t be here to see it if it happens.” Marion turned to Bobby. “I can’t watch this. I can’t see my brother throw everything away. I don’t want a front row ticket to the End of the World. Can I borrow one of your cars?”

“You know how to drive?” Bobby asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I remember how to. I’ll be fine. Please.”

Bobby rolled out of the room as Dean glared at her. “Where do you think you’re gonna go? You don’t know anybody.”

Marion sighed, heavily. “I might not know anybody, but I know somewhere safe I can go. And just like you can’t be convinced to stick around… I refuse to watch you kill yourself.”

Bobby came in and handed her a set of keys. “Be careful.” Bobby whispered.

“I will. You take care of… everyone.” She said, kissing Bobby’s cheek.

“It’s a rusty Mustang. Half a tank of gas.”

Marion grabbed her bag and headed out the door. As she tossed her duffel in the shotgun seat, Sam walked over. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not going to tell you either, Sam. I love you, bro. And I love Dean, but… I cannot be here when he… gets what he wants. There’s no way you’ll be able to keep him from saying ‘yes’. And I can’t be here for that. I’ve got my cell. Keep me updated.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion smoothed out her shirt as she walked up to the door. He hand shook a little as she pushed the doorbell. The door opened and a bearded man in sweats answered.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Shurley. I know we’ve never met, but I’m pretty sure you know who I am.” Marion said, sticking her hand out to shake his.

Chuck gave a short handshake and walked back inside. “You’re the sister, the one who was written out of the book in prequel.”

Marion followed him in and shut the door. “Um, Marion. Marion Winchester. I got written back in.”

“Not by me.” Chuck mumbled, sitting on his couch. Marion sat next to him. “So… where’s safer than the house of the Prophet, right? That’s why you’re here?”

Marion nodded. “My brothers are about to go into a huge fight… a fight that I have nothing to do with. I’m nobody’s vessel. So, while my brothers say ‘yes’ and take out half of the world, I’ll be here.”

“I knew you were coming. I don’t have a guest room, but I changed my sheets and pillow cases. I never make it up there, anyway.”

“Thank you, Chuck.”

“And… you… you probably don’t want to know this but… Dean’s not gonna say ‘yes’.” Marion started to smiled and ask why she wouldn’t want to know that, but Chuck took a drink and continued. “But Sam will… and Adam will, too.”

“Adam? Adam’s dead.”

“He was. These are the angels we’re talking about.”

Marion leaned forward, shaking her head, slightly. “How far ahead have you seen?”

“I’ve seen the fight. But you really don’t wanna know.”

“You can’t… Chuck, if you don’t tell me how this turns out, I will call upon every bit of my brother that’s in me until I get my answers.”

Chuck sighed, heavily. “Dean is going to interrupt Michael and Lucifer before the fight. Castiel will throw holy fire at Michael… and Lucifer will… blow him up like Zachariah did last year. Then… Bobby goes, too. And then… Lucifer starts beating Dean to death. Until Sam, finally gets control back and after that…. I’m not quite sure. But Dean lives, the world survives.”

“Sam and Adam?”

“I didn’t see that part, yet, but… I don’t think so.” Chuck said, sadly shaking his head.

Marion stared down at her lap. Everything would be okay, except her family. The World would be safe, but her family wouldn’t be.

“Thank you for telling me, Chuck.” Marion whispered.

Chuck stared at her, expectantly. “You aren’t going to tell anybody? You aren’t gonna do anything with the information?”

She shook her head. “If I told them, they wouldn’t go through with it… and that would get rid of the World’s happy ending.”

“Wow. You’re a lot nobler than I thought you’d be. Especially after being possessed for so long. I thought you’d be bitter and angry and more… like Dean.”

Marion looked up. “You know about that?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Of course, you did. You probably knew before I even got possessed. And you… you couldn’t let anyone know? You couldn’t even give a hint to anyone? It’s not like Meg being in my body changed the timeline. All she did was report on them.”

“I’m constantly being watched. I can’t just pick up the phone and call your brother. She was just watching them, ya know?”

“And killing hunters! And fucking…” She let her anger taper off. “I was trapped inside myself for a month, Chuck. It was… a kind of Hell that you will never understand… but it’s okay that you didn’t tell anybody because she was just watching them.” Marion stood and grabbed one of Chuck’s bottles from his desk.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve said something before she… before Castiel…” Chuck started.

“This isn’t about that! That hurt… but that’s not…” Marion twisted the top off the whiskey. “I would rather not talk, anymore. I’d rather just drink and try to not think.”

Chuck nodded and turned on his tv.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion walked down Chuck’s stairs and sighed when she saw Castiel. “It’s only been 2 weeks since I got here, Castiel. What do you want? And how’d you know where I was?”

“It made sense. You were either coming to the Prophet for safety, or to the Cornwells’ home for familiarity.”

Marion looked over at Chuck who was passed out on the couch, then headed to the kitchen. Castiel followed. Marion opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice. “Fine. I’m predictable. What do you want?”

“Sam had a plan, to say ‘yes’ and then jump into the Pit.”

“It backfired, right? Sam couldn’t take back control?” Marion said, pouring herself a glass of juice. “Lucifer is wearing my brother to the prom.”

Castiel looked confused. Marion wasn‘t sure if it was because of the Prom comment or because she knew about the plan. “Yes.”

“Remember, Cas. I’m sleeping in the Prophet’s bed. Of course, I know. What are you doing here?” She asked again.

“You know, then, that Dean intends to walk right into that fight between Lucifer and Michael, to try to appeal to Sam?”

“And you and Bobby are going to follow him. You still haven’t answered my question.”

Castiel looked into her eyes, sadly. “Lucifer and Michael… they are very powerful. Even being in the vicinity of the fight is incredibly dangerous. We, most likely, will not survive.”

Marion bit her lip. “They’re powerful. But I have faith in you guys.”

“I… appreciate the faith, but that is not why I am here.” Castiel grabbed her hand. “I would deeply regret going to my death with you so upset with me. I came to… beg your forgiveness.”

She felt he was quoting something someone had told him to say, but it didn’t matter. Castiel may have assumed he was going to his death, but Marion knew he was.

She nodded. “I forgive you. Please. Keep my brother safe.” Marion said, getting on her tip toes a bit to kiss his cheek.

Castiel leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “Thank you.” He said, before disappearing.

“Must’ve been hard to just let him go to his death, like that.” Chuck said, behind her.

Marion turned to him, glass in her hand. “Well, I couldn’t fuck up the ending, now, could I?”

“But it still had to suck. I know how you feel about him.”

“Look, Cas had to go. He had to do his thing and help Dean survive. I can’t interfere with that.”

Marion reached her free hand into her pocket as a burning pain hit her leg. As she pulled out Dean’s amulet necklace, which Meg had saved from the garbage can, she realized that it was burning hot and a bright white light was emanating from it. Her eyes moved from the amulet and settled on Chuck. He looked much different than the alcoholic that she’d seen passed out of the couch a few minutes before. He had well-groomed facial hair and his hair was combed. He was wearing all white and, for once, was giving off a holy feeling.

“Chuck? You look…”

“Listen, Marion, it’s very important that I write the ending today. Dean is going to need you… to leave. He’ll be heading to Lisa’s. He’ll call you a few times over the next few weeks, but then, he’ll settle into a routine there. He’ll have the kind of life that Sam wanted. He’ll assume the angels got to you. Everything will fall into place. But you can’t be there. You don’t belong there.”

“Because… you wrote me out of the book?” Marion asked, silently asking him to confirm what the amulet was telling her, what her heart was telling her.

Chuck nodded. “You won’t have to go back to the original storyline, of course. It’s changed, already. You’ll go get your GED and go to college in a little town in Northern Florida. You’ll get a Doctorate in just a few years and become an expert in the fields of Cryptozoology and American History. You’ll get to live a real life, too. You just have to go, start over, and never track down Dean. Do you understand?”

“This is the same thing Lucifer said.”

“Lucifer wanted something in return. This is purely for you. You can go to college, make friends, fall in love and start a family with a normal man. Forget that your first love was an angel. This is a golden opportunity, Marion. All you have to do is drive East.”

“And never look for him again?” The thought of leaving her twin should have caused her more pain, more pause in the very least. But she knew that Dean would never have a normal life if he had a constant reminder of his old life. And she knew that Dean would never let her have a normal life, either. She could see herself as a college student, as a wife, as a mother. But not in this life, not as a hunter.

“Precisely. What do you say?”

Marion tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but her throat was too dry. She set her glass down and bit on her left hand thumbnail. She sighed and offered her hand.

“It was an honor to meet you… Chuck.” She emphasized his name.

“Not very many people get to, Marion. Not many who know who they’re meeting, anyway.” Chuck said, with a small smile.

“It’ll be a neat little story that I’ll never be able to tell anyone, ever.” She started to get teary as she released Chuck’s hand. “Thank you. I know I never did anything to deserve this second chance at life, but… I never stopped believing. You… Oh! Before I go and you invariably disappear again… thank you. For saving Castiel, for putting my brothers on that plane, clearing Sam out. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, go. I’ve got some writing to do.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********


	7. Here I Go Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion defies God to be with her brothers, but things don't go as planned.

It took Marion less than a month to settle into the small town of Niceville in North Florida. She took a half dozen CLEP test after she got her GED, then got on her way to her PHD. A women’s shelter helped her get an apartment and a job once they’d heard her ‘story of survival’ and she’d made a couple friends at the college.

But she couldn’t help but look in the newspaper every morning for demonic signs. She couldn’t help but keep a thick line of salt at her windows and a silver blade under her pillow. She would turn on her old burner phone every once in a while to listen to all of the messages Dean had left her. But she never called back. She just listened, cried a few tears, and turned the phone back off.

Marion pulled out her keys and worked them into the deadbolt of her apartment door. She was getting very comfortable in Niceville, she’d even gotten herself a cat, who came to rub itself against her leg. Marion hung her keys on the wall and reached down to pick up the grey creature.

“Hello, Athena! How are you tonight? We ready for some dinner?” Marion asked, petting it.

She opened a can of cat food, then turned to her fridge to grab herself a slice of pie. As she turned around to put the pie tin on the counter, her eye caught her old cell phone. It’d been two weeks since she’d turned it on.

Grabbing a fork to eat straight from the pie tin, Marion turned the phone on. She called into the voicemail and hit ‘speaker’.

“ **You have 1 unheard messages. First unheard message:**  
 _ **Hey, Mare. I-I got no real reason to think you’re still alive, or that you’ve still got this phone… except that it hasn’t been turned off yet. I, mostly, just call to hear your voicemail message… usually. But there’s something wrong, Mare. Sammy, he’s back. He’s been out of the Pit for a while now, and… there’s something wrong with him. He’s cold, emotionless. He’s not Sammy. I don’t think he sleeps. *static* I don’t know what to do, Mare. Bobby and Cas aren’t any help. They just want me to deal with it. But I need my Sam. I need my brother. And I would love to have my sister. If you’re still alive, please, Call me**._ ”

Marion turned the phone off and shook her head. Dean always ended the call that way. This was a different message, though. This told her that Sam was alive and back with Dean. That Bobby and Castiel were alive. She wanted nothing more than to put down her fork, pick up the cell phone and get back to being a Winchester.

But she wasn’t a Winchester, anymore. She had been Barbara Deana Singer, legally, for almost a year. Was it worth throwing everything away? Her school work, her friends… the cute 25 year old at the campus coffee shop who flirted with her every day. God, himself, had told her not to contact her twin. Who was she to ignore God’s advice?

But she was a Winchester, at least by birth, and when have the Winchesters ever bowed to God’s Will?

“Chuck… My Lord, please forgive me. My brothers need me.” She whispered, picking up the phone.

“Marion?!” Dean answered, excitedly.

“Hi, Dean.” She said, meekly.

“Where are you? What happened at Chuck’s? Why haven’t you been answering the phone?”

“Nothing happened, where I am is of no consequence and… I haven’t answered because… because Chuck made it clear that… if I disappeared somewhere, I’d be able to have a real life. Like… you and Lisa. Why aren’t you with Lisa?”

“I wasn’t cut out for the normal life. But it sounds like you are. Since you haven’t called me back for a year.”

“Dean… I had to try, you know? New place, new story. You tried, too.”

“I’m not a construction worker. I’m a hunter. And you aren’t a college kid. You’re a Winchester.”

Marion sighed and sat down at her little table, wondering how Dean had known what she’d done with her life. “What’s wrong with Sammy? Is it demon blood?”

“No. He’s not craving anything. He seems… cold. And he, uh, he let me get turned into a vampire. Just stood there while I got turned. He’s not our Sam.” Dean answered.

“Well, what happened? Last I heard, Lucifer had Sam. The plan was bunk. Michael had Adam and Bobby and Castiel were going to die.”

“More info from Chuck? Michael, Lucifer, Sam and Adam went into the Pit. God brought Cas back, he brought Bobby back. Something brought Sam back from the Pit and… he didn’t come back right, or something. I need you… please, Mare.”

“Where are you, Dean? I’ll head your way.”

“You’re just gonna drop everything and head my way?”

“I’ll have to give notice at the diner and at the college, but… yeah. I’ll drop everything and head your way.”

“We’re headed to a case in Illinois. Calumet City. We should be there by tomorrow morning. When should I expect you?”

“It’s a 14 hour drive for me… but I have stuff to take care of. Give me 3 days, okay?”

“You got 3 days, then I’m calling in the cavalry. 3 days.” Dean threatened.

“3 days.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion was on a mountainside looking out at a sea of green tree tops. It was a dream, everything was just too perfect.

“Every time I try to write one of you Winchesters into a normal life, you screw it up.”

Marion turned her head toward the voice. “Chuck!”

“Does calling me by that name make it easier to defy my wishes?”

“My brothers need me… sir. Lord. Something is wrong with Sam.”

“Nothing is wrong with him. Whoever pulled him out just did it wrong. Because there aren’t very many entities who could do that correctly.” Chuck responded.

“So, he is Sam?”

“Yes. You know that you are throwing away everything you’ve spent the last year putting together?”

Marion shrugged. “It’s a year. I know it’s not what you wanted, sir, but it’s… I can’t abandon them to this hunters life. If they have to be hunters, so do I.”

Chuck gave a small snort. “I don’t know if that's Dean’s crazy loyalty or Elizabeth Cornwell’s nobility, but damn. You’ve got that Winchester martyr complex down.” He sighed and stood, obstructing her view of the trees. “If you’re going back, you need to remember. No matter what he’s done, or how he acts, he is Sam. And since you’re more loyal to your family than you are to me, you have to figure out how to fix him.”

Marion stood. “How do I fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong?”

“That’s not my problem. I might not have written your character past age 4, but you ended up pretty smart. You’ll figure it out.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

As she kissed Athena and handed the ball of gray fur over to the shelter employee, her mind checked that off her mental to-do list.

Marion walked out to the Mustang. She’d packed all of her clothes and books into the back seat. As she drove off toward the college, she pondered about what could be wrong with Sam. And how she’d deal with being around Castiel.

Marion knocked lightly as she headed into the classroom. The old woman in bifocals who’d taught her for the last 2 semesters looked up at her.

“The look on your face speaks volumes, Miss Singer. What’s wrong, Bobbi?”

Marion took a seat in front of the desk and sighed. “I’m going to have to take myself out of classes, Mrs. Dunn. My brother called me. He’s been diagnosed with cirrhosis. I’m all he has. So I have to go home.”

“That’s terrible, Bobbi. Is there any chance of you getting registered somewhere up there?”

“Not likely, ma’am. He’s not doing very well and he’ll need me around pretty much full time.”

“Well, I suppose I understand, but… you’re a very bright woman. You deserve more than a GED and an Associates. Please, do me a favor. Sign up for online course.”

Marion stood and shook the crone’s hand. “I’ll look into it, ma’am. Thank you for your support. You have a wonderful life.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion pulled her Mustang into the first cheap motel she saw and pulled into the parking spot next to the Impala. She walked up to the door that the Impala was parked in front of and knocked. The door was jerked open and Dean stared at her.

“Knock knock?” She whispered.

As Dean wrapped his arms around her, Marion’s eyes landed on Castiel. He looked surprised to see her and hurt, but mostly, he looked tired. Not physically, of course, Jimmy Novak would never tire. His eyes, though, told her she’d missed far more than just whatever had broken her baby brother.

“I’m so glad you’re finally here. I was wondering if that call was a dream or what?” Dean said, pushing her inside.

“I’m here early, Dean. I said 3 days, not- holy heck! What happened to Sam?!” Marion asked, pushing past Dean.

“That is not Sam. Sam wouldn’t have been able to lie to me under the Veritas curse. Sam sure as Hell wouldn’t have let me get turned into a vampire just to get info on the Alpha.”

Marion bent down to examine Sam’s beaten face. “You imbecile! This is Sam. Whoever brought him back just did it wrong.”

“And you know this, how, exactly?” Castiel asked.

“I dreamed it. Last night, I dreamed that Ch-… that God came to me and told me that this is really Sam. That there aren’t a lot of entities who could have brought him back correctly. And whoever tried, wasn’t one of them.”

“God told you that?” Castiel asked, sounding a mixture of angry and amused. “God, who didn’t care about the Apocalypse his angels started, doesn’t care about the civil war happening in Heaven, who didn’t care to punish, or better, to stop me from… but he cares to tell you about Sam?”

She looked up, sadly. “It was a dream, Castiel. As in, my id trying to send a message to my conscious mind. Not really God. But it’s nice that I have more faith than the angel in the room.” Marion turned back to her baby brother as he started to stir.

“Marion? I thought you were dead.” Sam said. There was no emotion behind his words. Cold, just like Dean had said.

“Kinda the point, Sasquatch.” She replied, examining him.

“You ran away from us?” Still, just the words.

“No. I ran away from hunting, not this family. Besides, last I heard, you and Adam were in the Pit, Bobby was dead. Castiel was dead, and Dean was on his way to live a normal life with Lisa. Chuck said I could have a normal life, too, if I just disappeared. But my little brother is sick. Being here is more important than being normal.”

“This is a waste of time! May I do what I came to do?” Castiel asked pushing forward. “Has he been feverish, Dean?”

Dean looked, pointedly at Sam. “Have you?”

“No. Why?”

“Is he speaking in tongues?” Castiel turned to Sam. “Are you speaking in tongues?”

Sam looked confused. “No. What are you… are you diagnosing me?”

“You better hope he can.” Venom dripped off of Dean’s words.

“You really think this is…” Sam started.

“What, you think there’s a clinic out there for people who just pop out of Hell wrong? He asks, you answer! Then, you shut your hole. Got it?” Dean ordered.

“Dean…” Marion pleaded.

“You’re not helpin’, Mare.” Dean snapped.

“How much do you sleep?” Castiel asked.

“I don’t.”

“At all?” Marion and Dean asked.

“Not since I got back.” Sam confirmed.

“And it never occurred to you that there might be something off about that?” Dean growled.

“Of course it did, Dean. I-I just never told you.”

Marion looked to Castiel, who had a strange look in his eyes. A cross between recognition and sadness.

“Sam, what are you feeling now?” Castiel asked.

Sam scoffed. “I feel like my nose is broken.”

“No. That’s a physical sensation. How do you feel?”

“Well, I think-” Sam started. Marion bit the inside of her cheek as it dawned on her that Sam wasn’t feeling anything.

_Whoever brought him back turned him into a sociopath._ She thought.

“Feel.” Castiel insisted.

“I-” Sam looked around, confused. “-don’t know.”

Castiel threw a look to Dean, then began to take off his belt. Marion blushed and looked away as the belt pulled through the loops.

“What, uh…” Sam began.

“This will be unpleasant.” Castiel said, offering the belt to Sam. “Bite down on this. If there’s some place you find soothing, you should go there… in your mind.” He said, shoving the belt in his mouth and placing a hand on Sam’s shoulder.

Marion turned back around and winced as Castiel shoved his right hand into Sam’s chest. “Oh, my god!” She shouted as Sam groaned against the leather. His skin radiated a glow up to his neck. The belt dropped out of Sam’s mouth as Castiel pulled his hand out of Sam’s chest. Castiel picked up his belt and turned away from Sam, dejectedly.

Dean looked at him, expectantly. “Did you find anything?”

The angel avoided his eyes, looking down at the floor. “No.”

“So, that’s good news?” Marion asked, but she knew it wasn’t.

“I’m afraid not. Physically, he’s perfectly healthy.”

“Then, what?” Dean asked, trying to get Castiel to look at him.

“It’s his soul.” Castiel finally looked up into Dean’s eyes, still avoiding Marion’s. “It’s gone.”

Dean scoffed and shook his head a little. “Um… I’m s- I’m sorry. One more time, like I’m 5. What do you mean, he’s got no-.”

“Somehow, when Sam was resurrected, it was without his soul.” Castiel answered.

Marion smirked and walked in front of Castiel, purposefully catching his eyes. “So… whoever brought him back…” She looked pointedly at Dean. “…brought him back wrong.”

Dean ignored her. “So, where is it?”

“My guess is… Still in the cage with Michael and Lucifer.”

“So, is he even still Sam?” Dean asked.

“Well, you pose an interesting philosophical question.” Castiel started.

“Of course, he is. No matter what he does or says, he’s still Sam.” Marion interjected.

“Well, then, just get his soul back.” Dean said.

“Dean…” Marion and Castiel said at the same time.

“Well, you pulled me out.”

“It took several angels to rescue you, and you weren’t nearly as well guarded. Sam’s soul is in Lucifer’s cage. There’s a difference, a big difference. It’s not possible.” Castiel said.

“Okay, well, there’s got to be a way.” Dean said.

“So, are you gonna untie me?” Sam asked.

“Yes.” Marion said.

“No.” Dean responded.

“Listen, I’m not gonna-.” Sam started.

“Sam, how the hell am I even supposed to let you out of this room?” Dean growled.

“Dean, I’m not some psycho. I didn’t want you to get hurt. I was just trying to stop the vamps.” Sam sighed. “I’m sorry. It won’t ever happen again. Please let me go.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Dean asked.

“Well, what are you gonna do, just keep him locked up in here forever?” Marion asked.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Dean quipped.

“Okay, fine, look, I get it. I get it, Dean. I was wrong. But I’m telling you I-I’m trying to get right. It’s still me.” Sam defended.

“Is it?” Dean asked.

“Yes.” Marion and Sam said at the same time. “So, just let me go.” Sam finished.

“No way in Hell.”

“I didn’t want it to come to this.” Sam sighed and stood. “You’re not gonna hold me, Dean. Not here, not in a panic room, not anywhere. You’re stuck with the soulless guy, so you might as well work with me. Let’s fix this.”

“I’m gonna be watching every move you make.” Dean said.

“Fine. Sounds about right to me.”

“Cas, clean him up.” Dean instructed.

Castiel touched Sam’s forehead and the blood disappeared from his face.

“All right, if we’re gonna figure out what happened to your soul, then we need to find who yanked you out. You say you don’t know?”

“No idea.”

“Then, we start a list. If it’s so hard to spring someone out of the box, then who’s got that kind of muscle?” Dean asked.

“Whoever it was, isn’t as strong as they think they are.” Marion said.

“I don’t know.” Castiel turned to Sam. “You have no memory of your resurrection?”

Something about how he asked that question, it didn’t seem right to Marion.

“I woke up in a field. That’s all I got.” Sam answered.

“No clues? None?” Dean asked.

“I’ve got one.” Sam said. “Samuel was brought back at the same time as me. We could ask him if he’s got anything.”

“I’m not going with.” Marion said, taking her jacket off and throwing it on the chair Sam had been tied to. As Dean gave a disappointed look, she continued, “Look, not only is meeting my dead grandpa really low on my list of priorities, I’m fuckin’ exhausted. I just drove 14 hours by my lonesome. I am running on a 4 pack of Red Bull I bought before I left and some truck stop coffee in Kentucky. I’m gonna crash. Text me.”

Dean sighed a little. “Okay. Get some rest. Cas, you coming?”

“I’ll meet you there.”

Marion tried to ignore the angel’s eyes on her back as she bent down to pull off her sneakers, but when she turned around, he was still staring.

“I thought you were dead.” Castiel said.

“Well, I knew you were.” She rubbed her eyes, exhaustion making them heavy. “Look, I wasn’t lying about being tired, Castiel. I need to get some sleep.”

“You said you forgave me, but you still seem upset.”

“You were gonna die! I couldn’t tell you the truth.” Marion sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed nearest the door, Dean’s bed. “But over the last year, I have forgiven you. I’ve come to terms with the fact that despite her actions, there was no way you could have known I was possessed. And I’ve forgiven the fact that you were angry at Our Father for his non-involvement, and you took it out on my body. But my forgiveness doesn’t make everything okay. It just makes it… where it could get better.”

Marion looked up into the angel’s bright blue eyes. “Right now, though, being here in this room with you… it just fills me with sadness, Castiel.”

Castiel nodded. “I suppose it’s better not to be distracted right now. For both of us. Welcome back, Marion.” He said, before disappearing.

Marion leaned back and tried to sink into the pillow. “My brother doesn’t have a soul. How can I fix that? And how do I deal with Castiel? Chuck, you should’ve just told me that this wasn’t worth it.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion woke to 2 new messages on her phone.

**Gramps has his soul still keepin eyes on him. Goin on a hunt. Let you no how it goes.**  
and  
**Crowley brought em back. Campbells have ben his puppets 4 mons. Oow back.**

Marion flipped open her phone and dialed Dean’s number. “What do you mean, Crowley brought them back? That doesn’t make sense, Dean.” she said, as soon as the phone clicked to denote Dean had picked up.

“Well, take it up with him. Crowley showed up, said he was the King of Hell now that Lilith and Lucifer are out of the way and he said he brought back Grandpa Campbell and Sammy. He said he’s got Sam’s soul.”

“I could, maybe, see him having Sammy’s soul, Dean, but Samuel Campbell was in Heaven. He was a hunter, he was a good man and he loved his family. King of Hell, or not, Crowley wouldn’t have access to a soul in Heaven.”

“Maybe he wasn’t as good a man as you think. Crowley has Sammy’s soul. And we’re gonna have to do what he wants us to do until we can get it back.”

Marion shook her head. He wasn’t going to listen to her. He’d found an answer, and knowing where Sam’s soul was, even if it is in the hands of a demon, is better than not knowing at all.

“What’s your ETA?” She asked.

“Hour and a half.”

“See ya then.” She said, flipping her phone closed.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

They had packed up and headed out as soon as they got back to Calumet City, barely listening to their sister as she tried to convince them, “He couldn’t have done it alone.”

They pulled into a roadside rib shack and Dean pulled out his cell phone. Marion started to order as Dean was walking away, but a figure in an expensive suit popped up next to her. Crowley looked her up and down.

“Well, aren’t you a nice, soft version of that male model you call a twin? Where were you when I had to deal with those idiots a year ago?”

“Fuck off, you piece of demon scum.” She said, before turning to the server. “Just a #1 combo, please.”

Crowley smirked. “And there’s that Winchester wit.”

She handed her cash to the server and turned her full attention to the King of Hell. “Don’t talk to me like you know me, Crowley. You might have my brothers and Samuel thinking that we need to just bend over and take it, but I’m far from convinced.”

“And why’s that?”

“Samuel Campbell was in Heaven. He was a good man who spent his life killing things like you and he went to Heaven for his trouble. He’d sure as fuck remember being in Hell. Learned last year that you don’t get to remember Paradise unless Heaven wants you to remember.” Marion jerked her head quickly to hear a satisfying pop. “He was in Heaven and you don’t have access. And I don’t think you have access to Lucifer’s cage, either. Lilith didn’t have access when she was in your position.”

Crowley let all of her facts roll through his mind, then nodded. “Sounds good. You’re a smart girl… but you seem to have Cassandra’s curse. Why does you family believe me and not you?”

She shook her head as she grabbed napkins. “Dean’s scared. He’d rather believe he’s found an answer that sucks than keep looking fruitlessly. Sam just seems a bit gullible now that he doesn’t have a soul and his sense of normal is shot. Samuel… he’s desperate. And you are feeding off of all of it. It makes you happy to know you’ve got 2 different generations of legendary hunters doing your errands.” Marion leaned forward, inches away from Crowley’s face.

“But I will figure this out. Because God believes I can fix this.”

“In’nat backward? Shouldn’t you have faith in him?”

Marion gave a snort and looked directly into his eyes, purposely putting a crazy edge to her words. “Are you forgetting who you’re talking to? I’m the one the angels saved. They changed history to bring me back. I was chosen. If anyone in the world were to have a conversation with God, don’t you think it’d be me?”

Crowley raised an eyebrow and tried to determine whether she was serious. “I can’t tell if yer insane or not. Good job.”

He disappeared and reappeared over near Sam and Dean. She walked up just in time to hear Crowley say, “Give him a kiss for me.”

“I’ll call you back.” Dean said, closing the phone.

“Good news, boys! I’ve got a job for you.” Crowley said, pulling out a chair and turning it around to sit backwards.

“I’m gonna say this once. You can take your job and shove it up your ass.” Dean growled.

Marion rolled her eyes at Dean’s posturing. “Is that any way to talk to your boss?” Crowley responded.

“You’re not my boss, Dickbag.”

“Dean, Dean. Been through this. Quit clutching your pearls. You’ve been working for me for some time now. Sam here, longer.”

“They didn’t know.” Marion said, taking a bite of ribs as Sam said, “We didn’t know.”

“Like that makes a difference to you. You’d sell your siblings for a dollar right now if you really needed a soda.” Crowley quipped. Marion shook her head a bit, not letting him rattle her. “Look, I’m sending you-”

“No.” Dean interrupted.

“Beg pardon?”

“I’ve done some shady stuff in my time, but I am not doing this. No.” Dean said.

“Ten quid says you will.” Crowley said, reaching over to touch the back of Sam’s hand. He yelled as his skin began to sizzle and a burn crept across his hand. “You like pain, Sam? You like Hell?”

Crowley turned his attention to Dean. “You need to stop thinking of this as some kind of deal. This is a hostage situation, you arrogant little thug. I own your brother! Do you understand me?”

Crowley snapped his fingers and Sam stopped gasping in pain. “Come on, Dean, smile. It’s not that bad. Here’s incentive- you bag me a live alpha, and I’ll give you little Sammy’s soul back, with a cherry on top.”

“What, alpha vamp not good enough for you?” Sam asked, while Marion rolled her eyes at Crowley’s promise.

“Best mind where you poke your nose, if you wanna keep it. Your merry little hike up the food chain starts here.” Crowley put a newspaper down on the table. “Businessman found dead in his car… chest ripped open… heart missing. Sounds like?”

“Werewolf.” Marion answered.

“No, it’s not a full moon.” Dean countered.

“Werewolves turning on the full moon- so ‘09.” Crowley quipped.

“He’s right. Samuel and I ganked one about six months back on the half moon. Things have been out of whack for a while now, I guess.” Sam said.

“Yeah. I guess.”

“So, it’s settled then. You bag the howler, bring it home to papa. See ya soon, kids.” Crowley said, before disappearing.

Marion picked up the paper and flipped it open. Her brothers stood. “Are you really gonna just do a demon’s bidding? Look at this.” She said, putting the paper back on the table. **4 nuns commit suicide at convent** shined up at them. “This is more our speed.”

Dean skimmed the article, then pushed the paper away. “We’ll look into that after we bag an alpha for Crowley. Werewolves are our speed, too. If the nuns are that important to you, we’ll kick it to Bobby and he can get someone else out here for it.”

Marion sighed deeply and stood, picking up the paper. “Screw that. I’ll do it, myself. Have fun being Crowley’s personal hunters. I’ll be in Tennessee.”

Dean stood. “Mare, come on.”

She turned. “No, Dean. You want to be a demon’s ass puppet, fine. I’m gonna do what we should be doing. Killing monsters instead of handing them over to other monsters.”

“He’s got Sam’s soul! What are we supposed to do?”

“Find another way! You’re supposed to be some semblance of John Winchester’s sons. And if you’re not gonna do the right thing, I’ll do it myself.” She tossed the newspaper through her open window and jerked open the Mustang’s door.

“Just let her go, Dean. She’ll just get in our way. Maybe she‘ll get herself killed in Tennessee and things can go back to the way they were before the angels fucked it all up.” Sam said.

Marion chose to slam her door and peel out of the lot, instead of raging at her soulless brother.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion hit the steering wheel when she saw Castiel standing on the shoulder of the highway. He appeared in her passenger seat less than a minute later.

“You can tell Dean to go fuck himself.” She said, before Castiel had a chance to open his mouth.

“Why would I tell him that?”

Marion rolled her eyes. “You’re here because Dean sent you, right? Told you where I was going and told you to convince me to go back?”

“Dean told me that you had abandoned them and that you should be brought back to them.”

Marion pulled onto the shoulder and put the car in neutral so she could turn to face the angel. “Did he tell you why I ‘abandoned’ them? Neither of them will listen to me. Crowley’s got them convinced that they have to run errands for him so they can get Sam’s soul back from him. But Crowley doesn’t have his soul, and nobody will listen to me about it! They’ve been Sam and Dean so long that nobody else can get a word in. I’m over it! I’m gonna go be a damn hunter while they help Crowley find a way into purgatory.” She sighed, deeply, glad to get that off her chest.

“And you’re gonna go back to Heaven. It already seems like you aren’t doing very well, and you constantly having to come down here to do my brother’s bidding, it can’t be helping. Go focus on your own fight. We’ll be fine on our own.”

Castiel stared at her. “How did you know?”

She rubbed her eyes and looked at her lap. She didn’t want to admit she’d spent so long studying him that first day at the motel.

“You hold yourself different. You aren’t defeated, but… there’s no victory in your eyes.”

Castiel blinked a few times, then nodded and disappeared. She wondered if she’d given away too much of herself for a few moments, but then she put the car in gear and pulled back onto the highway.


	8. Sympathy for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion's first solo mission doesn't go as planned.

The small Catholic church was a wooden monument of by-gone days. It was beautiful and perfectly painted, white with a welcoming blue trim. Marion parked and walked in, taking a moment to genuflect at the entrance before walking up to a nun near the altar.

“Good morning.” The nun said, smiling brightly. A bit of her red hair was peaking out from under the habit and the stray locks kept drawing Marion’s attention away from her green eyes.

Marion smiled back. “Yes, sister. My name is Barbara Singer. I’m a private investigator. I was wondering if you’d be willing to talk to me about what happened here last week?”

The sister looked taken aback. “I don’t think I should be talking to you. We were told to put it behind us and move on. The police said-”

“If you don’t mind my saying, sister, the police are idiots. They should’ve spent a few minutes looking into this before judging. Nuns don’t hang themselves. It’s a sin. One nun is hard to believe but 4? That’s murder. I just want to prove that so they can be given the burials they deserve.”

The nun gestured to the front pew, then sat down herself. “We all thought it was suspicious. There was no reason. But the archdiocese told us to pray for them, then move on with our lives.”

“Was there anything out of ordinary in the days before deaths? Anybody acting more aggressive than normal?”

“No. I mean, Father Wes snapped at us a few times, but he was just having a bad week, I’m sure.”

“Well, I’m sure priests get stressed too. But I’ll look into it, -”

“Amber. Sister Amber.”

“You can call me ‘Bobbi’. I’ll figure this out, I promise.”

“Bobbi… why do you care so much? Are you Catholic?”

Marion smiled. “No. I classify myself as more of a nondenominational. All of the God, none of the rules.”

“So, you do believe?”

“No. I know. I know there is a God. I know there are angels who are warriors for Him. And there is evil in the world. And that is what I’m looking for here. Evil.”

Amber nodded. “It’s refreshing to hear such faith. Please, do what you can.”

Marion stood and shook Sister Amber’s hand. “I promise, sister. I’ll figure this out.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion snuck into the priest’s office through an unlocked window later that night.

“You hunters are so predictable.” A sarcastic voice called. “He’s not here. He’s in Rome, holding audience with the Pope about the ‘suicides’.”

She turned, gun in hand. Sister Amber was standing in the doorway, a gun trained on her.

“You?! You’re a freakin’ nun! What the hell?!”

“I prayed every day of my life. Since before I was a nun, since I was a child. Never an answer. Thousands of unanswered prayers, not even a sign. Nothing.”

Marion shook her head as Amber started to inch around the wall of the office. “You had a crisis of faith and instead of hangin’ up your habit, you hung 4 other nuns?”

“The demon demanded a sacrifice.”

“Of course, there’s a demon.” Marion muttered to herself. She put her hand on the door handle and scoffed. “The demon wanted your soul, you imbecile. The four dead nuns were just icing on the cake.”

Marion dove out the door and in between the pews. “He’s going to make me powerful. I’ll have everything I’ve ever wanted.” Amber called.

“You’ll be really powerful and happy in Hell.”

“It’ll be worth a little brimstone to be able to answer my own prayers.”

Marion ran along the wall toward the back of the church. “You think so? Think Hell is worth it? God has fucked my family over every step of the way, Amber. I died when I was 4, a demon killed my mother less than a year later, my dad went insane with grief and raised my brothers to be monster hunters. Not a single one of us can live a normal life, no matter how hard we try, but I’ll tell ya, sweetheart… I’ve got my brother’s memories of Hell. Nothing they could give me up here would be worth that.”

“Well, then I’m glad I’m not here to offer you anything.” Amber’s voice was different, darker. A demon. “She said that she had Bobby Singer, but I’m willing to bet you are the Winchester sister.”

“It’s Bobbi, with an ‘I’, but you can call me ‘Winchester’, if you want.”

“That is so… great for me. I won the lottery. You are the only Winchester that Crowley still has on the Kill On Sight list. Wonder why?”

Marion hid behind a chest in the back of the church. “Probably too smart for my own good.”

“Funny. Crowley said the exact same thing.” The demon sighed. “Know the best thing about your fragile human bodies?”

There was a loud crash. “I don’t even have to find you, to kill you.”

Marion heard the flick of a lighter, then the sound of the demon smoking out. By the time she’d pulled herself out from behind the hutch, flames covered the church. She was stuck in the corner with no exit.

As she looked around for any help, she berated herself. “First solo mission and I’m gonna die. So ridiculous.” Marion pulled her jean jacket over her head and prepared to jump for the big wooden doors.

Marion took two deep breaths and pushed herself against the wall in order to get a running start. A sound of fluttering wings hit her ears, right when she jumped, and she opened her eyes outside on the church lawn. She looked up to see Castiel with his arms wrapped around her.

“You- I… I didn’t call you.”

Castiel pulled away and looked above her head. “No. I’ve been following you. You were very selfless… in suggesting I focus on my own fight. I felt… such selflessness deserved… an extra… bit of attention.”

Marion shook her head. “Selfless? That was just… courteous.”

“I am unused to being treated that way. Dean has never…he doesn’t even consider my…”

Castiel was interrupted by Marion laughing. “Dean will never be as nice to you as I am, Castiel. You might be the only friend he’s every had, but he’s not in love with you.”

Blue eyes snapped to focus on green ones. “In… love?”

“It’d be really difficult to explain ‘love’ to you, Castiel.”

“I know what love… I thought you were angry with me.”

Marion smirked. “For what? For not knowing that I was possessed? Meg told me that no one would know. I was just… hurt after being trapped for so long and upset that I hadn’t been part of… but you… you couldn’t have known.”

“So?” Castiel asked, unsure of what Marion was meaning.

Marion put her hands on the side of his face and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Go… back… to your fight.” She whispered.

He nodded once, then disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion walked into her hotel room and hung her duffel in the closet.

“It’s a bad idea.”

She turned, gun quickly in hand, to see Chuck sitting on her Queen bed. “Chuck?!” She put the gun on the nightstand. “Uh… sir?”

“Just… call me ‘Chuck’. That is the body I’ve been appearing in.”

“What’s a bad idea?”

“You and Castiel. It’s a bad idea.”

“Why, because he’s an angel and I’m a human?”

“No. I don’t have a big problem with interspecies copulation. Have you seen mules? No, specifically, you and Castiel are a bad idea. You’re setting yourself up for the worst heartache of your life.”

Marion flopped down on the bed and started to pull off her shoes.

“What? Worse than when he practically raped me in an act of rebellion because he was angry at you? I got over that. I can get over this… whatever this is.”

“Worse. This situation is the reason I sent you to Florida, why I wrote that barista into your life. You were supposed to forget him!”

“If it’s that important, why don’t you just make me stop loving him?” Marion asked, tossing her boots in the corner by the bathroom.

“I can’t! I didn’t make you fall in love with him, you did it of your own free will. I didn’t write it, so I can’t un-write it! You have to stop it, yourself.” Chuck shouted.

“What is it that is so terrible about this?”

“I can’t tell you! I can’t tell you what is going to happen. And I can’t tell you how you’ll react, but this… the kissing and holding hands and pretending like it’s not going to end badly… it’s not worth it.” When Marion turned around, Chuck was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion lay down on her plush queen bed and looked up at the cherubs carved into her headboard. She felt bad, setting up shop in a 4-star hotel, knowing her brothers were sleeping on cut-rate beds that hadn’t been flipped in years and had seen more prostitutes than a red light district sidewalk. She felt bad that her brothers had to hustle pool and steal credit cards to get along, while she sat on a bank account that would have made things very easy for them all. She felt bad that Mister had died in County and Missus had committed suicide while out on bail, leaving $750,000 in Mister’s life insurance and $1.68 million in savings and stocks. With no family on either side, Missus had left a will stating that everything went to the closest thing to a daughter she had.

The windfall had come as a huge shock when a lawyer tracked her down in Florida to get her signature and bank information. She had wanted to share with Sam and Dean since the moment she came back to them, but there was just never a good time to tell them that she had become a millionaire.

She felt bad about that, but she couldn’t make herself feel bad about rekindling her relationship with Castiel. God had told her it would end, and it would end badly, but she couldn’t feel bad. Her heart wouldn’t let her. No matter how it ended, she would go through with it. She closed her eyes and drifted off.

“And they call me prideful?” A sound of clapping pulled Marion’s attention to the window. She was still in her fancy hotel room, but the cherubs were worms, now. The painting on the wall had ceased to be a bowl of fruit and was now the epic battle between Michael and Lucifer. Marion rolled off the mattress and hid on the opposite side of the bed.

“You’re dead.” Marion shouted.

“I’m trapped, there’s a difference.” Lucifer said, walking around the end of the bed. “And you are a sinner, Marion.”

Lucifer pulled her up from the ground and sat her back on the bed. “Ya know, he may be an absentee creator who hasn’t spoken to me in a couple millenia, but if God told me to back off of something, I’d at least consider it. I mean, he’s come to you, telling you point blank, without all of the enigmatic bullshit he normally throws around, and you still plan to do what you want.”

“This is a dream. This is my brain manifesting doubts. This isn’t-”

“This is a dream. I’m still in the cage. The only way I can get to you is through your dreams.”

“Why? And how?”

Lucifer sighed and stood tall. “Necessity. You’re the only one I can get to. I’ve been here before, so you’re the path of least resistance. I’ve been in your dreams so I can always find my way back, even from the Pit.”

“Why me? Why not Sam? And what do you think I can do for you? I can’t help you.”

“Sam doesn’t sleep. Besides, I’ve already got him here with me. You… well, it’s just nice to talk to someone new, ya know? There’s only so much fun I can have with your brothers’ souls.”

Marion stood and slid away from Lucifer. “Why don’t you spend your time reconciling with your brother? I’ll deal with Our Father.”

Lucifer laughed. “Michael and I are fine. We bonded over the mutilation of Sam and Adam. I can honestly say that I am on better terms with my brother than you are with yours.” Lucifer sat on the edge of the bed. “I suppose that’s why you’re clinging to Brother Castiel. You don’t, really, have anyone else, do you?”

“I have Bobby. And I have God. That’s more than you have.”

“Bobby barely knows you and is too busy cleaning up Sam and Dean’s messes to take your calls. And God is less of an asset than you think. When it comes down to the wire, you might do well to have my brother and me in your corner.” Lucifer said, before disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion picked up her cell phone and dialed her voicemail to listen to the message Dean had left her while she slept.

“ _ **So, Cas showed up and told me that your message was ‘Go fuck myself’. He told me you were pretty pissed, and I realized after Cas left that it was a dick move to send him. I didn’t think about how it’d make you feel. So, uh, I’m sorry. Can you call me now, please? After a year of not knowing if you were alive or dead, I’d like to know you’re okay. You know, you might think I don’t care (Cas said you think it’s been me and Sam for too long) but you’re my fuckin’ twin. I care. Just… call.**_ ”

Marion stared down at her phone before pulling up her text messenger and sending one sentence. ‘ **You apologize like a bitch**.’ She imagined her brother heaving a sigh of relief and sending her his retaliation. Sure enough, she received a text saying ‘ **Well u’d no all bout that bitch** ’ She smiled and tossed her phone away from her.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Over the next few weeks, Marion traveled around the country. She didn’t do much hunting, unless she knew it wasn’t a demon. With a kill order out on her, she couldn’t risk it.

She spent most of her time along in hotel rooms, reading or trying to find a job that wouldn’t get her killed. But a lot of time was spent thinking, mostly about Castiel. She hadn’t seen him in weeks, but she knew he had been around. He left little presents sometimes while she slept. A perfect red rose once, a box of chocolates another time. Most recently, it’d been an old leather-bound copy of Grimm’s fairy tales. As she was reading through Cinderella, a deep loneliness gripped her. She hadn’t seen her brothers since the rib shack. She hadn’t seen Castiel since they’d kissed. She’d spoken to Bobby a few days prior, but just long enough to get information on the vamp she was tracking. She had no one else, and she felt a little like Rapunzel again. And she started to miss the Cornwells.

Marion set the book aside and took a deep breath. “Castiel, please, when you can, could you come see me?”

The angel appeared a moment later with no fanfare. No wind, no wings. Marion stood. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“When you show up to see Dean, there’s all this wind and I could swear I hear your wings. When it’s just me, you just appear.”

Castiel blinked a few time. “I try not to disturb you with the sounds.”

“Oh.” That didn’t seem quite right, but she took it.

“What do you need?”

Marion looked down. “I miss you. I… just wanted to see you. Maybe… if you have time, we could… go to dinner.”

“I don’t eat.” He said, simply.

“No, but you can. You proved that with the Famine burgers. Please.”

Castiel nodded. “I have some time. No burgers.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat at the table and smiled at her date. “Thank you for coming with me.”

“I can’t stay very long.”

“Oh. I understand. I’m keeping you from your battle. I’m no better than Dean. I was just… lonely.”

“No, it’s not- Raphael and I are at a standstill. No. It’s Dean and Sam. They are going to hunt down Crowley and get him to give Sam’s soul back.”

Marion pursed her lips. “Erg! He doesn’t have Sam’s soul! He pretty much admitted to it, then he put a price on my head because I know. And how do they plan to convince him to give it up, anyway?”

Castiel looked away as the waiter approached. “I believe the plan is to forcibly extract the information from him.”

“Torture?!” Marion exclaimed just a little too loud right as the waiter reached the table. He set down the menus as she cleared her throat.

“I’ll give you a few minutes.” The waiter said, walking away.

“Torture? And Dean agreed to letting that part of himself out of the darkness?!” She whispered, furiously.

Castiel leaned forward. “No… Meg studied under Alastair, as well.”

Marion had to force herself to not scream. “Meg? Working for Crowley wasn’t bad enough, they have to team up with Meg?!”

Castiel sighed and stood. “Dean’s calling me. I have to go to him.”

Marion stood and wrapped her arms around him. “You better not let that demon bitch double-cross my brothers.”

He walked outside, then disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

**As glad as I am to hear that you’re finally making a stand against Crowley, you’re an idiot if you think you can trust Meg. Besides, Crowley does not have Sam’s soul. It’s in the Cage with Lucifer. No one can get it… except, maybe, God. If you get yourself hurt while on this wild goose hunt, I will be pissed. Idiot.**

Marion threw her cell phone against the wall, then closed her eyes against the spinning ceiling. After Castiel had left, she’d foregone the meal and ordered herself a bottle of wine, which she’d polished off in less than a half hour.

She found herself in the living room at the Cornwells’ home. As she looked around the only home she ever knew, she began to cry. Everything hurt. She had her family… boyfriend working with a demon who almost ruined her. God telling her to walk away, part of her wanted to just go back to Florida. She sat down on the little beige couch and stuck her face into a throw pillow.

“This isn’t it.” Lucifer said, appearing on the blue couch opposite the one she occupied.

“What do you want?” She mumbled.

“This isn’t it. The heartbreak you can’t come back from? This isn’t it.”

Marion set the pillow against the armrest. “Why are you telling me this?”

Lucifer moved to sit on the table in front of her. “Because I care.” He smiled as she raised an eyebrow. “Don’t give me that look, Marion. It’s true. You are the one truly free creature on this Earth. You are the only one God can’t control. He usually sticks to manipulating the circumstances, but he could control me if he wanted to, control your brothers. You… he couldn’t budge if he tried. You’re special, and I care about that.”

Lucifer took her hands and looked into her eyes. “In a while, when your world falls apart, you’re gonna need to know that someone cares.”

The sincerity in Lucifer’s voice, in his eyes, was throwing Marion off. She was used to his truths being snarky. That made him easier to ignore. But this approach was disarming, and she immediately knew he was right. She’d get over this. She was stronger than a betrayal like this. But, if she can get over Castiel, Sam and Dean teaming up with the demon who almost broke her, what would be too much?

She looked up into his eyes. “You know what’s going to happen?” He nodded. “Will you tell me?”

Lucifer shook his head. “I won’t. I’m sorry. It has to happen so that God can see the wonder of true free will. It’s too important.”

He moved to sit next to her as her dream body started rocking with sobs. In the back of her mind, she mused about the irony of her crying into Satan’s arms.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion knew something was wrong as soon as she woke. Castiel was sitting in the desk chair, staring at her. But the Devil had told her that this wasn’t it, so she numbly stood.

“How’d it go? Crowley give up Sam’s soul?” She asked, heading to the restroom.

“No, he didn’t have it. Marion…”

“Told you. But, of course…”

“I kissed Meg.” Castiel interrupted.

There was silence as Marion reminded herself that something bigger was on the horizon. She slowly turned to him.

“She kissed me. And… I just… kissed her back. I was watching this movie about a pizza man and this woman…”

“Stop.” Marion interrupted his rambling. “This isn’t it, Castiel.”

“What?”

“You’re gonna break my heart. I’ve been told you’re gonna break my heart. And it will be devastating and horrible and I’ll likely never be the same, but this…” she gestured to the tired-looking angel.” … you making out with a demon, this isn’t it. This is infuriating and saddening and a little bit pathetic, but… I’ll get over it. I’ll get over this, and we’ll be fine.”

“If you think I’m going to hurt you, why-”

“Because I love you. Because if I let Chuck scare me out of this relationship just to miss the pain, then I’ll have missed the dance. And I need the dance.”

Castiel stood. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

Marion shook her head. “It’s an old country song. The point is, why should I throw away all the happiness just because it ends with me being broken?”

Marion could almost hear the words in Lucifer’s voice. As she’d cried in his arms, with him petting her hair, he’d calmed her with words of the happiness and love she’d share with Castiel before she got her heart broken.

“That’s very wise. Did the prophet-”

She looked away, unable to admit her wisdom came from the Devil. “I dreamed it. It was an epiphany.”

Marion pulled him to her by his tie and tried to kiss him. Castiel looked away from the kiss.

“I don’t think… I don’t want to hurt you. And Dean questioned my loyalty last time we… dated.”

“And then you got yourself killed following his insane plan that only succeeded because Sam had a rare moment of strength. You’ve proven your loyalty.” Marion took a calming breath. “How does Dean show his loyalty? He constantly pulls you away from your war to do his bidding, he has been working for a demon who has a price on his twin sister’s head, he chooses to join forces with a demon who killed 3 hunters with his siblings’ hands, who killed Jo and Ellen… Dean knows nothing of loyalty and has no right to question yours.”

Marion smirked a little and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re all I have, anymore, Cas. The Cornwells are dead. Sam and Dean are soulless and selfish, respectively. And I think I ignored Chuck’s advice one time too many. Can’t I just… have you for awhile?”

Castiel looked down at her, nervously. “I… I’m not… I’m sober. I’ve never…”

“I’ve never done it, at all.” Marion said, pulling his trench coat down his arms. “And I’m sure it’ll be even better if we can both enjoy it.”

Marion threw his coat on the table near the tv and started to work on the buttons of his dress shirt.

“Are you doing this because you really want it?” Castiel asked as she pulled his belt off.

The question made her stop. She hadn’t even considered having a sexual relationship with Castiel until her visit from Luci. But he hadn’t even mentioned sex, so… she threw his belt on top of the coat.

“I’m ready for this. I want to know… this.”

Castiel nodded and pushed his suit jacket down his arms. Marion wanted to feel some apprehension. But her body flushed with desire and she decided not to question it.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion had pretended to be asleep after they’d finished. She wanted to make it easier for him to leave. She knew he had to get back, either to Heaven or to her brothers. She stared up at the ceiling. It had been perfect and loving, exactly how she wanted her first time. Outside, the storm that beat against the windows let loose a bolt of lightning and a boom of thunder.

“Shout all you want, Chuck. I will go on exactly as I want to.” Marion said, picking up her phone and putting the battery back in.

“ _ **Crowley didn’t have Sam’s soul. You were right. I’m an idiot. I’m sorry. But I made a deal with Death. He can get Sammy’s soul out of the cage and all I have to do is wear his ring for a day. We’re gonna be back to normal. Cas killed Crowley last night so we can go back to doing what we need to do. You can come back. Please come back.**_ ”

Marion wondered for a minute why Castiel hadn’t mentioned killing Crowley, but she decided he had more important things on his mind, as she dialed out of her voicemail box and dialed Dean’s number.

“Mare!”

“You’re getting Sam’s soul back. Kudos. Castiel killed Crowley. Goodie. Why should I come back?”

“Mare, I know that I-”

“No, Dean, you don’t know. I told you. I knew that demon didn’t have Sam and you refused to listen to me. You took the word of the King of Hell over the word of your twin sister.”

“He said he could fix Sam. You didn’t have an answer. I had to try, Marion.”

“No! You should have called his bluff. You should have come to Tennessee to help me with the nun who killed her sisters to gain favor with a demon. You… you can’t just call me and think everything is okay. I’m… doing my own thing now. Bobby is throwing me cases, I’m taking some online classes. I’ve even got a boyfriend, now, Dean. Why should I come follow you around when you don’t listen to me?”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t listen, but come on! It made sense that he had Sam’s soul. Sam was in Hell. Crowley was King of Hell. I thought, maybe, he was lying about bringing Samuel back. Marion, just come back.”

Marion breathed deeply. She didn’t know if she should go back with Lucifer in her dreams, Chuck showing up every few weeks, telling her what to do, with her bringing Castiel into her bed. “If I come back, I don’t bunk with you. I’ve been in my rooms alone for months.”

“And you’ve got a boyfriend you need to call. Fine. That’ll put a strain on the credit cards.”

“That’s not a problem, Dean. I’ll pay my own way. Where?”

“I’ll meet you in Sioux Falls.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Castiel showed up in her passenger seat as she crossed the South Dakota line.

“You’re going to join Sam and Dean?”

“Yes. Sammy should be back to normal. Things with Dean shouldn’t be too strained.”

“Did you tell Dean…”

“No. Of course not. But he knows I have someone. I’ll probably make him think it was Robby from the coffee shop. How’s the fight? You sure you’ve got time to visit me?”

Castiel seemed to blush, but he looked out the window. “I heard Death returned Sam’s soul. I wanted to make sure everything was all right. And I wanted to see you.”

“That’s cool. I wanted to talk to you about Crowley. Dean said, you killed him. How’d you manage it? And why didn’t you tell me?”

“I burned his bones.” He replied, quickly. “And I couldn’t tell you because I had to tell you about Meg, and then we were having intercourse.”

“The timing might’ve been a little… off, but… I don’t know, it was my turn. If I am going to be a Winchester, I’m going to have to act like one. And Winchesters are selfish and fall to pleasures of the flesh at inopportune times. Especially Dean.”

Castiel was silent, so Marion kept talking. “I have free will. I have my own mind to do with what I want. Heck, I could tell my brother about us, if I wanted. I don’t want to, but I could.”

“Are you all right? You seem a bit… different.” He asked, studying her face.

Marion rubbed her right eye, and considered pulling over. “I just haven’t been sleeping well. I’m worried about Sam and whoever’s gonna take over for Crowley as King as Hell. I’m afraid God is mad at me. And I’m afraid of what Dean will do when he finds out you and I are back together. I’m just trying to keep reminding myself that I’m a grown woman… and a Winchester and a damn hunter! My mother, rest her soul, would be so disappointed in me. She was strong…”

She pulled over and shut the engine off, burying her face in her hands. She couldn’t tell where her words started and Lucifer’s ended. She’d spent a lot of time talking about her family. Lucifer knew more about her heritage than Dean did, which was the extent of Marion’s knowledge.

She cleared her throat and looked up. “Sorry. I’m… just letting myself get overwhelmed. The pressure is getting to me, I guess.” She smiled at Castiel, reassuringly. “I’m fine.”

“Perhaps going back to your brothers isn’t a good idea. The pressure will, likely, be worse when you must prove yourself to them daily.”

“It’s okay. I’d rather deal with the pressure than the loneliness. I’ll be fine.”

Castiel nodded, then disappeared.

As she pulled out onto the road, she could swear she heard Lucifer whisper, “It’ll be worth it”.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Dean ran out of Bobby’s house to greet Marion as soon as the Mustang pulled in. She raised an eyebrow as she got out of the car.

“Hey! So, Sam’s awake.”

“Great! Is-is he okay? I mean, the class of torture Lucifer and Michael must’ve dealt him-”

“He doesn’t remember.” Dean cut her off.

Marion’s eyes widened. “What? What doesn’t he remember?”

“None of it. He doesn’t remember the last year and a half. He doesn’t remember working with Samuel, working for Crowley. He doesn’t remember letting me get vamped or anything he said. So, he doesn’t remember the rib shack or saying that we’re better off without you.”

“I wasn’t gonna hold it against him, Dean. He didn’t have a soul. But I’m gonna assume by the way you ran out here, that I’m supposed to be on eggshells? Gotta try to keep from triggering his memories?”

“Death put up a wall. His soul is kinda blocked off from the memory of the Cage. We gotta make sure Sammy doesn’t poke the wall.”

Marion rubbed her hand across her face. “So, we’re just not supposed to mention anything that Sam did or saw in the last year and a half? You really think that’ll work? There are other folks who interacted with him, who won’t just automatically buy in to the Winchester craziness.”

“We’re gonna do this as long as possible. Just do this for me, please?”

“I’m doing this for Sam, not you?”

“Are you still pissed at me? I apologized.”

Marion started toward the house. “’Cause that makes it all better, doesn’t it? I’ve forgiven you for a lot of things, Dean. Mostly because I know that, as hunters, we could die again at any time. I, generally, get over shit pretty quickly, but this… you showed me exactly where I stand with you. You’ll go to Hell for Sam, you’ll be Death for 24 hours to fix him.” She stopped short of the porch and turned to Dean.

“You wouldn’t listen to me when it was logical and correct. You couldn’t tell I was possessed for a month. You didn’t even want to come get me from the hospital, Dean.”

“Mare, I-”

“And that’s fine. You barely know me. Sammy has been a part of your life for as long as I was out of your life. But you don’t get to act like I’m important, you don’t get to pretend to give a damn. I might be your twin, but that bond is nothing compared to what you have with Sam. And I’m done trying to make it work. I’m not here because I want to be your sister. I’m here because the Cornwells are dead, you’re all the family that I have. You can’t say ‘sorry’ and fix this, Dean. Because ‘sorry’ isn’t going to make you value me.”

Marion waited a moment before turning around and heading into Bobby’s house. Dean stared after her.


	9. Friends In Low Places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes dreams are better than reality.

Sam was sitting at Bobby’s kitchen table with his back to the study, but even though she couldn’t see his face, as Marion came through the study, she could tell he was the old Sam.

“Hey, Sasquatch!”

Sam stood and smiled brightly. “Marion! Where’ve you been?” He asked, wrapping her in a hug.

They sat down at the table. “Well, Dean couldn’t live a happy, normal life with Lisa as long as his angel-resurrected twin sister was pulling on his coattails.”

Marion gave a small look over her shoulder as Dean walked in and leaned against the door frame. “So, I went off to find my own normal. I got my GED and some college under my belt. I changed my name and got a boyfriend. And a cat! But I’ve got a bunch of Dean’s memories in my brain, and hunter tendencies got the better of me. After about a year, I got mixed up with putting down a demon that had convinced somebody to hang four nuns. And hunting just seemed more important than a degree.”

“I didn’t know you changed your name.” Dean said.

“You didn’t ask.” Marion snapped.

Sam’s brow furrowed as he looked from his brother to his sister. “What’d you change your name to?”

Marion looked down, a bit embarrassed. “Well, you guys call me ‘Marion’, of course. It’s my given name. But I changed it to Barbara… Bobbi… Singer.”

Sam and Dean snickered. Marion rolled her eyes. “Chuck told me that Bobby was dead. I wanted to honor him. Shut up.”

“No middle name?” Dean asked, walking over to the coffee maker.

“No one likes their middle name. It’s not important.”

“Yeah, but you chose yours. What’d you choose?” Dean pushed.

“Samantha. Barbara Samantha Adama Singer.” Marion lied.

“Bobby, Sam, and Adam. Isn’t that sweet?”

“Everybody who died in the Apocalypse. I’d’ve stuck a ‘Cassie’ in there, too, but the name was already pretty long.” Marion quipped.

Dean slammed the coffee pot back onto the burner and walked out with his mug. Sam’s eyes followed him out. “Okay, what the hell?” Sam asked.

Marion took a deep breath. ‘ _ **Don’t poke the wall**_.’ “Dean and I had a disagreement while you were gone. He was… working hard to get you back. But the way he was working toward it… he was working with a demon, and the demon couldn’t bring you back, but Dean wanted to believe. So, he let this demon use him for favors. For months, he did this creature’s bidding.” Marion looked at the table.

“I told Dean that it didn’t make sense, that he was being used. But if there was a tiny chance of it working… he would do anything for you, Sam. He won’t even listen to me. So… I’m just letting myself get used to… being so unimportant.”

Sam took his sister’s hand. “You aren’t unimportant. Dean and I, we’ve depended on each other for so long, we get irrational when the other dies. It’s not an insult-”

“He thought I was dead for a year and he barely flinched, Sammy. He cares less about me than he did Jo and Ellen. Which I get, ‘cause he didn’t get my mind, I got his. None of you know me. But Dean still thinks he gets to act like he does. And I’m not here to be lied to. I’m here because I’m not cut out for normality and I’m tired of hunting alone. Otherwise, I’d be off by myself, like Chuck… strongly suggested.”

“You’re right. We barely know you, me especially. You were with us for less than a month before you got possessed. And then, you left right after Meg left you. But… I know you can quote Shakespeare at the drop of a hat. I know you prefer the Grimm Brothers over Disney. I know you never felt comfortable with the Cornwells, which is why it was such a profound experience when Castiel filled you full of grace. I know you hate Zeppelin, even if you won’t admit it to Dean.” Sam smiled, softly. “If I know all that from a few weeks in the middle of Armageddon, don’t you think Dean knows more?”

Marion smiled up at Sam. “I can list a few thousand things Dean knows about you. Thousands of things about Dad, and Bobby. Hundreds of things he knows about Jo Harvelle. Dean probably knows a fraction of that about me.”

“You think you’re Rapunzel. It’s why your hair used to be so long.” Dean said, from behind Marion. “It was the most read volume on your side table at the hospital. When Meg cut your hair, I thought you’d realized you were out of the tower. You take your coffee with 4 sugars and cream, but if someone accidentally brings you a coffee black, you’ll drink it, anyway. You never had a crush before Cas, and that’s why you fell like a school girl.”

Dean leaned against the wall. “You miss the Cornwells, and that makes you feel guilty. Just like you feel guilty that you sat in a house for 27 years being treated like the next damn Messiah, while we fought monsters and broke our bones. You’re trying to hide that you’re back with Cas, ‘cause even though you’re pissed at me, you don’t want me to be pissed at you and Cas.”

Dean pushed off from the wall. “We’re stubborn, so, I know you’ll be mad for a while. You’ve got every right. But you love me, and you’re a lot nicer than I am, so when you’re ready to forgive me, I’m willing to… make more of an effort to show you you’re valuable.”

Marion tried to keep her face stern as she looked up at her twin, but her heart was melting. “How did you know?” She whispered.

“That Cas is the reason you want your own room? He’s been leaving more and mentioning his war less. And you’ve been a lot more successful with your hunts lately. I did the math.”

“I’m still mad at you.”

“And I’m still not cool with you dating Cas, but… we’ll get over it.”

Sam looked awkwardly between his older siblings. Marion took a look at Sam, then Dean. “Eventually.” She said, with a nod, before standing and walking out of the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

“So, Dean knows?” Castiel asked.

“Yes, but you don’t have anything to worry about. He’ll get past it.”

“I’m not worried about Dean.”

“I’m not… it’s not a big deal, Castiel. Dean kinda gave his blessing… in his own way.”

Castiel sighed loudly , sending static through the phone. “His blessing is unimportant, Marion… but it is much easier for us to be together when Dean is oblivious.”

“I understand, but… he’s observant. So, why don’t you come to Bobby’s and we’ll work through it, together?”

“I can’t. I’m only on Earth to retrieve an item. I have to get back to Heaven.”

“Oh. Okay, well… I heard Dean and Bobby talking about a case… I’ll just… see if they would want me to go with them. Or I can stick around and watch out for Sam. I’ll find something to do. You just, uh, call me the next time you’re back on Earth with some extra time.”

“I’m sorry.” Dean said, setting his bag on the table next to her. “Someone’s got to stay here with Sammy.”

“Great. I’ll watch him sleep and try not to poke the wall while you’re gone.” Marion growled, before walking out into the study and flopping down on the couch.

Twenty minutes later, Bobby walked in, alone. “Where’s Dean?”

“He and Sam took off together. I’m still on the fence about that boy after what he pulled last week, so… I opted to let Dean take him out alone.” Bobby answered, grabbing a bottle from his desk drawer.

Marion shook her head. “Of course. I, specifically, ask to go out on a case and Dean takes Sam, instead. I’m sensing a pattern here, Bobby.”

“He didn’t exclude you on purpose, ya know. It happened pretty quick.”

“He never does it on purpose, Bobby. But Mister always said, ‘It doesn’t matter if you meant to, because you didn’t mean not to’. He never considers, Bobby, never thinks of anyone but himself and Sam.” Marion laid down on the couch and closed her eyes. “I’m gonna take a nap… or a coma.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion arrived in her dreamscape in her basement bedroom at the Cornwells’ home. The familiar scene of grey cinderblock walls lined with full bookshelves, made her smile. She breathed in deeply, a savory and sweet smell invading her nostrils. “That smells like…”

“Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and homemade yeast rolls. Mmm-mh, good.” Lucifer said, appearing on the stairs.

“You set up my favorite meal for me? Why?”

Lucifer smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Thought you might need it. I mean, Sam and Dean went off to fight evil without you. Brother Castiel is too busy to have a drink with you. Bobby’s got his mouth to the bottle, just on the thought of being around Sam after what he did. Thought you’d enjoy a calm family moment, even one that’s not real.”

“Luke! Is she sleeping? What is taking so long?” Mister’s voice called from upstairs.

“They think I’m 29 and I go to your church.” Lucifer winked and pushed her toward the door.

“There they are! The food’s gonna get cold.” Missus said.

Marion sat down at the square oak table, across from Mister and Missus and smiled. This dream, it made her happy. It filled her with calm and well-being, just like Castiel had when they first met.

Mister and Missus smiled at them as they spooned food onto the plates. “I never imagined the angels would send you a disciple. I almost thought they’d forgotten about you, Marion. But Jesus was in his thirties when he started ministering.” Missus said.

“I’m not… That’s not what I’m here for, Missus. I’m sure I’m not anything like the Nazerene.”

“Oh, hush. The angels had us save you for a reason. Now, eat your meatloaf.” Mister Said. “How’s that taste, there, Luke?”

Lucifer smiled. “It tastes perfect. You should have a cooking show, Mrs. Cornwell.”

Marion smiled over at Lucifer. He was much different in this setting. He didn’t seem like a powerful, almost omnipotent creature who had been intent on turning everyone into rage zombies. He seemed almost normal, and like the only person who actually wanted to be around her. Marion shoved a forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth and thanked Lucifer, silently, that he’d gotten the details of Missus’ cooking perfectly.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

As Lucifer helped Dream Missus clean the dishes, and as Dream Mister retired to his study, Marion snuck out onto the front porch to sit on the little wooden porch swing. She swung back and forth a bit as she stared out at the semi-familiar lights of Lawrence down below her.

Lucifer appeared next to her on the swing and looked out at the lights. “It’s kinda pretty.”

Marion leaned back. “I know I should wake up. I can feel Bobby staring at me from his desk. I can smell the coffee he brewed to nurse his hangover. It’s morning… out there in the real world. I’ve been out since last evening. I should wake up before Bobby starts checking for vital signs. But this world… this dream you made for me… I know why djinns use dream worlds now. I don’t want to go back there where I’m nothing.”

Marion ran her hand through her hair and breathed deeply. “When I was a teen, living here with those God-fearing people, I pulled away from God, a bit. I couldn’t help but question it, why God would let a crazy old couple turn a little girl into a false idol. They were so sure, I would be something big. I never had any aspirations for myself. Mister and Missus told me I’d never leave, not until God willed it, but even if I had… nothing I could have imagined would have been close to my life now. I’m around wonderful, powerful, special people all the time. My boyfriend is an angel. My only real friend is the Fallen Angel. I hunt demons and monsters with my brothers… when they let me go with… I never had dreams so wonderful as my real life. So, why don’t I want to wake up?”

“Maybe… you know something is wrong. Maybe you don’t want to think about whether the vibe Castiel has been throwing off is the beginning of the end. You don’t want to question whether his distance has to do with the heartbreak God told you is looming. But…” Lucifer turned to look at her instead of the lights. “… you’ll never know for sure if you stick around here. I mean, I like the company, it’s a bit of a sausage fest in the Cage, and I like that you’ve finally recognized me as your friend, but… you have to wake up, Mare. Your brothers are facing something… different, to say the least. You need to be awake.”

A ringing sound went through the air.

“Bobby’s phone. That’s them. They need help.”

Marion sunk down into the swing. “I wish I could stay.”

“I know. I’ll throw together something good for you tonight. Something like this, but better. I promise, you’ll love it. Go on. Wake up.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

“Dragons?” Marion asked, incredulously.

“Don’t make sense to me, either, but… Dean says it’s the only thing he and Sam can come up with.”

Marion took a sip of coffee. _**Luci did say it was something different.**_ “So, who would we talk to for Dragon lore? I mean, actual Dragon lore, not Tolkien or World of Warcraft lore?”

“Oh! Dr. Visyak. Gotta find my address book.” Bobby said, digging through his desk drawer.

“Dr. Visyak. Why does that name sound familiar? Did she write a book?”

“Um, yeah, I think. A textbook on medieval studies. She’s a professor…”

“At San Francisco University. My medieval studies professor down South taught her textbook. She’s brilliant.”

“Yeah. She’s amazing.” Bobby said, pulling his phone out.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion laid down on Bobby’s couch and closed her eyes, excited for what Lucifer had planned for her. She showed up in a hotel lobby, with streamers and balloons hanging from the roof. She could hear pulsing music behind a set of door to her left. “What’s this?”

“This is your Prom, Marion. You never got the chance to go. I thought you’d like the opportunity.” Lucifer said, appearing suddenly, leaning against a table with a bunch of pictures on it.

“I don’t think we’re properly dressed, Luci.” She said, turning to him with a smile.

“Oh, silly me. Forgot the most important part.” Marion looked down and she was wearing a sleeveless red ball gown and long white gloves. She looked up and smiled at him, then frowned playfully when she saw him still wearing jeans and the flannel shirt.

“You’re still under dressed, Luke.”

“Oh, I’m not your date. He is.” Lucifer said, nodding toward a figure suddenly in front of her. Marion gasped a little when she saw Castiel in a black and grey suit.

“But… I don’t want to go with him. As handsome as he looks, and as much as I would enjoy watching him struggle with a corsage… he’s not really here. And if I’m going to be at my Prom, I’d like to be there with someone who isn’t too busy to even show up in my dreams. What do you say, Lucifer? Will you go to Prom with me?”

Lucifer smirked and stood up, finally. He snapped his fingers and Castiel disappeared. When she turned back around to Lucifer, he was wearing a tuxedo. Marion giggled happily. “You look amazing.”

She took his arm and walked into the ballroom.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion walked outside as the boys returned, semi-victorious. As Dean walked into the house with a bag of gold and shiny trinkets, Sam grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the open trunk.

“You okay, bro?” Marion asked.

Sam looked sadly down at her. “I’m so sorry, Marion.”

“What? For leaving me behind? That was Dean’s fault. I don’t…”

“No, I’m…” Sam looked toward the door, then back to his sister. “I’m sorry for what I said. I know now that I’m a big part of why you feel so unimportant. I’m so sorry.”

Marion picked up a knife from the trunk and leaned against the bumper. “Oh. That. Bobby tell you?”

“Cas.”

Marion nodded. “I don’t really hold it against you, Sam. I know that soulless Sam is different than Normal Sam.”

Sam seemed to relax a little, looked a bit grateful until Marion dropped the knife and looked him in his eyes. “But I do know that Soulless Sam was still Sam. And somewhere, in the dark deep parts of you that your soul hides away, you really do think everything would be better if I’d just stayed dead. If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way.”

“Marion…” The sadness and guilt in Sam’s eyes only barely overshadowed the pity there.

“Sometimes, people should just stay dead, Sam. Don’t feel bad, though. God’s will or not, I’m here to stay. Do me a favor, and don’t dwell on this. We did have a good reason for not telling you the truth.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

“So, your boyfriend’s an asshat. Should’ve asked one of us before he filled Sam in.” Dean said, sitting next to Marion on the couch and offering her an open beer.

Marion took a sip of it, keeping her distaste to herself. “Yeah. I know. I mean, Sam kinda tricked him, but… he’s an angel, he should’ve known better.”

“So, we’re gonna head out. I’ve got Sam convinced that he shouldn’t think too much. I think we’re okay to go catch a few cases while Bobby works on this ‘Mother of All’ thing.”

“You’re not leaving me here, Dean.” Marion interrupted in a tired, but cold whisper.

“What?” Dean asked, a bit surprised at the tone.

Marion lifted her head from staring at the floor. “My boyfriend is too busy fighting to come see me, but he has time to regale my brother with a year and a half of events. I have no friends, no family but you two idiots. I am sick of looking outside and seeing junk cars. I am sick of walking into that kitchen and finding nothing but beer and condiments. I’m sick of pretending like Bobby’s taste in beer doesn’t suck. I’d much rather drink shitty beer in a shitty motel room with my brothers, knowing that I’m on the heels of kicking the shit out of some creature or demon. You can’t leave me here with my thoughts, Dean. They’re getting a bit dark.”

Dean nodded. “Yeah, okay. Might need help with Sammy, anyway.”

She leaned her head on Dean’s shoulder. “I think I know why you used to leave a trail of floozies behind you. So much easier.”

“They weren’t all floozies. Some were just naïve and drunk.” Dean said, taking a drink, and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.


	10. Mistakeably French

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The French Mistake, with Marion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first wrote this story and posted it to FF.net, I wasn't able to write Marion into The French Mistake. There was a writer's block there for some reason. I have no clue why, but I was able to write it now. Anyway, I had fun with it. Enjoy.

The rain was coming down. Marion watched it from the window in Bobby's study. She hadn't seen a storm like that since the night she made love to Castiel. Something bad was happening in Heaven. Sam walked in with a stack of books as Dean emptied the last drops of whiskey into a glass. 

"Where's Bobby?"

Dean nodded toward the window. "In town, supply run."

"In this?" Sam was surprised.

"Yeah, man's a hero. We are officially out of hunter's helper." Dean said, gesturing with his empty bottle. The boys looked around the room as lightning filled the room with white light.

"Hello, Boys. And Girl." Marion turned to the sudden voice. Balthazar. Morally dubious, but still, one of Cas' angels. "You've seen 'The Godfather', right?" He asked, walking around the room.

"Balthazar..." Dean's voice was unsure.

"I haven't." Marion said, walking over to the desk, cautiously.

"You know, the end, where Michael Corleone sends his men to kill his enemies in one big, bloody swoop?" The angel asked, pulling out a big ancient bowl and setting it on Bobby's desk.

"Hey!" Dean shouted as Balthazar grabbed a box of salt from Bobby's shelf.

"Dead Sea brine. Good, good, good." Balthazar poured the salt into the bowl and continued his synopsis. "You know, Moe Greene gets it in the eye, and Don Cuneo gets it in the revolving door?"

"I said 'Hey'."

"You did. Twice. Good for you." The angel patted Dean on the shoulder in the most condescending way possible. "Blood of lamb. Blood of lamb."

He disappeared, suddenly at the fridge. "Beer, cold pizza. Blood of lamb. Yes! Blood of lamb!" He was holding a mason jar that was stained red with its contents.

"Why are you talking about 'The Godfather'?" Sam asked.

Balthazar was suddenly at the bowl again. "Because we're in it. Right now, tonight. And in the role of Michael Corleone, the archangel, Raphael." He opened the jar and began pouring it in.

"What do you mean?" Marion asked. "I'm getting the gist of danger, but, uh, what are you..." She cut herself off as he started rifling through Bobby's desk, taking the drawer out and dumping the contents into the chair.

"No, no, no. No, no, no, no. Yes! Bone of a lesser saint. This vertebra will do very nicely." He held up a plastic bag with a vertebra in it. "Your Mr. Singer does keep a beautiful pantry."

"Wait. Raphael is after _you_?" Dean asked.

"Raphael is after us all." He crushed the bone in his fist right into the bowl. "You see, he's consolidated his strength. And now, he's on the move."

"And where's Cas?" Sam asked.

Balthazar brought the bowl over to the window Marion had been staring out of a few minutes before. "Oh, Cassie? He is deep, deep underground. So, good old Raphie put out a hit list on every last Samaritan who helped our dear Cas, including the two of you... and, of course, the girlfriend. And so much more importantly, me. See, he wants to draw Cas out in the open."

"And you expect us to just believe you?"

"Oh, don't." He replied, beginning to draw a sigil on the window. "You'll go where I throw you either way."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The twins asked.

The angel looked around the room, warily. "That's all the time we have, gentlemen." He said, walking up to them and pulling open his jacket to reveal a fresh blood stain on his grey v-neck shirt. "Where is it?"

"Whoa. What happened there?" Dean asked.

"Oh. Garish, I know." He pulled something out of his inside pocket. "You see, Uncle Raphie sent one of his nastiest to handle me. I'm flattered, actually... and down a lung at the moment, but that's all right. Oh, here's for you." He said, holding out a key in front of Sam.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Run with it." He said, before he was thrown across the room by an unseen force. From the kitchen, another angel stalked in. "Virgil. I said run!" Balthazar shouted, before telekinetically pushing the Winchester's through the window.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion knew they were somewhere else as soon as she came to. She was nowhere near her brothers. Looking around, she appeared to be in a closet. She stood, brushing off her jeans. She approached the door, cautiously and looked out. Images of the haunted movie set hit her. This was a production stage. Across the stage, she could see a set that looked vaguely familiar, Bobby's study. _*Where the hell did you send us, Balthazar?*_

Marion left the closet and walked across the stage. Her mentality was the same as with any unknown situation, ' _Act like you belong here_ '. She carried herself with confidence, until she saw her brothers. She rushed up to them and smiled. "I'm so glad to see you. Where the hell are we?"

Sam wrapped an arm around her. "Thank God you're okay." He released her and got back into the conversation with Dean. "I was just saying... Here, wherever 'here' is, this... this Twilight Zone Balthazar zapped us into... for whatever reason, our life is a TV show."

"Why?" Dean asked, like he couldn't understand.

"I don't know."

"No, seriously. Why? Why would anybody want to watch our lives?"

Marion scoffed. "Sex appeal, adventure, violence. Just like those damn books. But no, why would anybody watch that?"

"Well, I mean, according to that interviewer, not very many people do. Look, I'm not saying it makes sense. I'm just saying, we... we landed in some dimension where you're Jensen Ackles, and I'm something called a 'Jared Padalecki'."

"And I don't exist." Marion said. Sam opened his mouth, but she shook her head. "I don't exist in Chuck's books, either, so... it's fine. It might be better this way. I'll fly under the radar, right? Who pays attention to the PA?"

Dean nodded at her and they all started walking toward a door marked 'exit'. "Wait, 'Padalecki'? So, what, now you're Polish? Is any of this making sense to you? Oh, hey. Least my baby made it." Dean said as their eyes fell on a black Impala.

Dean looked offended as a crew member started to toss mud on the windshield. "Hey. Hey! What..." His face fell when he noticed the three identical Impalas just down from the first. "I feel sick. I'm gonna be sick." He said, before walking away.

"I want to go home. I feel like this whole place is bad-touchin' me."

"Yeah I know. Me, too. So, what do you think? Cas?" Sam suggested.

Marion wasn't feeling the heebies like they were, but she shrugged as they stopped in a doorway. "He's our best bet, assuming Raphael hasn't killed him."

"Dear Castiel, who art maybe running his ass away from Heaven..." Dean started, quietly. "We pray that you have your ears on. So... Breaker, breaker." He looked at Sam like he needed words, then looked through the doorway and saw Castiel. "Cas? Cas!"

Marion stayed behind. She had never liked to see people embarrass themselves. Her brothers obviously hadn't learned to tell an angel from a human. She knew that wasn't her... wasn't their Castiel. It was just the actor who played him on TV. She watched from the door of the 'barber shop' as her brothers had a hushed conversation with the man. She decided to walk over when the man pulled out a small packet of papers, his script. As she walked up, the Castiel look alike had just finished unbuttoning his suit shirt to reveal a powder blue shirt that said Namaste. He was so not Castiel that Marion had to smirk.

"You guys wanna run lines or..." He asked.

"His name's Misha. Misha?" Dean growled.

"Oh, wow. Just... great." Sam muttered, taking the key back as they started to walk away.

"Misha? Jensen? What's up with the names around here?" Dean ranted, Marion catching up and matching their stride.

"Misha is Russian, I believe. Jensen... sounds Slavic." Marion said.

"I don't care. I just want to dig my finger in my brain and scratch until we're back in Kansas." Dean said as they stalked through the lot.

"Hey." Sam pointed at a huge Cardinal trailer. "J. Ackles."

"That's fake me!"

"Yeah." Sam said.

"This must be fake mine." He said, gesturing at it.

"Let's take a load off, then." Marion said, walking toward the door. She opened it and held it for the two 'stars'.

Dean smiled, goofily. "Dude. I have... a helicopter." He gestured to the 3 foot long remote controlled helicopter.

"Whoa. Who puts a 300 gallon aquarium in their trailer?" Sam asked.

"Apparently, Jensen Ackles." Dean responded.

Marion sat at a little black table in front of a laptop. "Okay, let's see who this guy is."

"Well, he's not a hunter, but he plays one on TV." Dean said as Sam and Marion looked at the laptop. "Oh, come on." He leaned over to a coffee table and picked up a magazine. "Look at these male-modelin' sons of bitches. Nice 'Blue Steel', Sam."

"Hey. Apparently, it's our job."

"All right, here we go. It says.. you're from Texas." Marion said, from behind the laptop screen.

"Really?" Dean threw the magazine back on the table and began to examine the shelves.

"And, uh, oh. Says you were on a soap opera."

"What?" Dean rushed to the computer as Sam reached over to play a clip from Days of Our Lives. Something about watching himself acting in a soap seemed to hurt Dean, because he shut the laptop midway through it.

"I don't like this universe, man. We need to get out of this universe."

"Yeah. No argument here. But I don't think our, our prayers are reaching Cas. Or the real Cas."

"Well, I agree. I think we are definitely out of, uh, soul-phone range. But..."

"What?" Sam asked.

"If we can reverse Balthazar's spell. I watched every move." Dean said, sketching out the sigil on a pad of legal paper. "We just, uh, get the ingredients, right, get back to that same window, and... there's no place like home."

"Look, you guys work on that. I'm gonna go research. See if there's anything in this world that might... you know, throw us for a loop. Mind if I borrow your laptop, Jensen?" Marion asked.

"Haha, very funny. It's 'Mr. Ackles' to you, ya PA bitch slave."

Marion stood, grabbing the laptop and putting it under her arm. "Good luck with the spell, 'Mr. Ackles'. Let me know if you need anything." She ruffled Sam's hair as she walked toward the door of the trailer.

"Hey. I don't think our cell phones get reception in Bizarro-land. Where are you gonna be?" Dean asked.

"Somewhere with free wifi. The closest Starbucks or the like. How about, you just work through your side and I'll work through mine, we'll meet back here tomorrow morning?"

"Where are you gonna stay?" Sam asked.

"I'm a hunter. I'll find a place to bed down, boys. Don't worry about me, ya big TV stars. I'm just a lowly PA bitch slave." She waved a little as she walked out the door to the trailer.

*******************************************

Marion sat in a Starbucks with the laptop, researching the show and the world they were in, when Castiel's doppelganger walked in. He was wearing jeans and his Namaste shirt and a blue sweater. He ordered his coffee and stood at the end of the counter to wait for it. He smiled when his eyes fell on her. As soon as his order was done, he made a beeline for her little round table. "Hey. You're the new PA, right? I saw you shadowing J-squared. Didn't catch your name."

She smiled, shut the laptop and extended her hand. "Marion... Cornwell." She offered.

"I'm Misha."

"I know." She said. She'd researched him first. "I'd be pretty crappy PA if I didn't know the major players of the show, right?"

"Well, I wouldn't call myself a major player." He said, sitting down.

"You... you're kidding, right? I mean, Team Free Will. That's Dean, Sam, Cas, and Bobby. If you aren't a major player, I don't know who is. Other than Jared and Jensen, of course."

Misha smiled, brightly. "Where's your coffee?"

She looked down. "I just came up from the States, like with nothing. The job was a once in a lifetime thing, you know? I didn't bring any cash to exchange." She said, sheepishly.

"Hey, that's not okay. Let me buy you a coffee and, you know what, let me give you a few bucks..."

"I can't let you..."

"Look, I like helping people. Helping out someone who's part of the Supernatural Family? Well, that just makes my day." Misha said, standing up and walking back over to the counter.

Marion watched him as he ordered her a venti caramel something-or-other and she let out a little sigh at his bright smile. "This guy is _so_ not Cas."

********************************

With the money Misha gave her and a wallet she picked off of a businessman on the streets of Vancouver, she was able to procure a single bed motel room. She was happy to have a bed to sleep in. The last thing she wanted was to hole up in an alley. Not in this strange place in the cold. She woke the next morning and headed to the set.

"Hey. Where'd you end up?" Sam asked as they walked up, a white box in hand.

"Motel."

"Where'd you get Canuck-y money?" Dean asked.

She opened her mouth, then smiled tightly. "Even big city Canadians are trusting. They don't protect themselves very well from bump and grabs. Where'd you guys stay?"

"Padalecki's mansion." Dean answered.

Marion bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Was his wife in?"

"Oh, you couldn't have warned us that he married Ruby?"

"No. I couldn't." She said, simply.

Sam handed her the box. "I need you to hold onto this for us... We, we have to go act. Misha has already been asking about it and I don't want to deal with that, okay?"

Marion took it and nodded once. "If there's anything else that I can do for you, Mr. Padalecki, you just let me know, sir." She said, bright and loud.

Misha stuck his head out the door and smiled that bright smile. Marion found herself loving that smile. Her Cas never smiled like that. He walked over, phone in hand. "Hey, guys, Bob needs us to get ready. How are you today, Marion?" He asked.

Marion blushed a little at the attention. "I'm good, thanks, Mr. Collins."

"Oh, come on. I told you yesterday. It's Misha." He said, patting her on the back.

"Okay. Misha."

"All right. Well, Craft tent for lunch?" He asked. She nodded. Misha clicked his tongue and walked back on the set. 

Marion avoided her brothers' gazes. "Are you... and Misha... Did..." Sam started.

"Pretty sure he's married." She muttered, turning away from them.

"And you have the real deal back home, right?" Dean prodded.

"Do I?" She asked, before walking away.

****************************************

Marion watched as her brothers butchered acting. They were much better at improv, lying on the fly. They were so stiff that it made her want to laugh, but judging by the reactions of those around her, she would have been met with glares if she allowed that to happen. She walked onto the set as soon as Kevin yelled 'Moving on!'. She handed the box to Dean as Misha tapped out a Tweet on his phone.

"IMHO, J and J had a late one last night. ROTFLMAO." Misha said as he typed. He looked up at Marion. "Hey, I think we're wrapped for now, lunchtime. Accompany me to craft?"

Dean raised an eyebrow. Marion bit the inside of her cheek before nodding at Misha. "Can I get you anything from the Craft Services Tent, Mr. Ackles? Mr. Padalecki?"

"No, but... be back here in 20." Dean demanded.

"See what I can do, Mr. Ackles." She said, walking out with Misha.

*********************

"There are so many benefits to kale. It's this amazingly underrated green." Misha said, drinking a green smoothie.

"Okay, but it's, like, super bitter. I get that it's healthy, but... I'll take a multivitamin."

"Seriously? Taste this." He said, pushing his straw toward her face.

She sighed and took the drink, sucking on the straw and making a conscious effort not to show her disgust when the smoothie made it into her mouth. She swallowed and nodded, handing the cup back. "Pretty okay."

"You're lying." He said, with a giggle.

* _My god, he just giggled.*_ "Yes, I am."

Misha pulled out his phone. "'That- moment- when a pretty- woman- pretends- to like- something- just to have something- in common. Winky face.'" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Twitter. Do you... do you tweet?"

She shook her head. "I'm not into the whole social media thing. I think, with the exception of my work environment, I'm kind of a Luddite."

"Do you have a phone? I can show you how cool..."

Marion pulled out the burner T-mobile phone she'd bought the night before and handed it over to him. He tapped on her phone's screen a couple times before handing it back to her. She was faced with a blue screen and a list of short blurbs.

"See, this is all the stuff that I think of throughout the day, you know? I have hundreds of thousands of followers. It's pretty cool."

Marion scrolled through the tweets, mostly random thoughts. "This is... interesting." _*Does he have nothing better to do than tell the internet about everything he sees, thinks, or eats?*_

"If you set up a Twitter, you can follow me and set up alerts for all my tweets! Then, you can always know what's going on."

Marion nodded. "I'll make sure to do that. You've got several scenes after lunch, right? I'll set myself up with a tweeter while you work."

"Twitter." He corrected with a laugh.

"Right." Marion looked down at her watch. 20 minutes had long passed. She stood. "I have to... Mr. Ackles asked that I be back about 5 minutes ago. I'm going to see if he still needs me."

Misha nodded and waved as she walked away. She walked onto the set to see the window demolished. They had jumped through without her. She walked over to Bob, who was pacing back and forth. "Excuse me, sir. Mr. Ackles asked me to run an errand for him. Is he around?"

"He destroyed the set with Jared and then they ran off toward his damn trailer, probably to do more of whatever drugs they have been bingeing on."

She nodded and rushed out toward the trailer. She knocked, tentatively, unsure if her brothers were themselves.

"What?!" Dean's voice shouted.

"Mr. Ackles? I've got the new pages." She shouted.

"Marion, get in here." Sam called.

She opened the door and climbed onto the trailer. "You guys jumped through that window without me. You tried to leave me here."

"We would have sent someone back for you. Besides, I told you 20 minutes. And you seem like you might be happier here with your Cas look-alike."

"I am happy here. There's nothing here trying to kill us! Far as I can tell, this place is completely normal. And that guy, Misha, he smiles. He actually fucking laughs and I'm a bit taken with the sound of it, but you don't get to leave me behind!"

"Well, it didn't work, okay? Don't get all upset."

"Don't get all-" She let out a shaky breath. "You wanting to leave me in the hospital was one thing. You leaving me at Bobby's while you went dragon hunting, at least that was understandable, but this? This is leaving your twin sister in another universe."

"Hey, it's a safe place. This place is normal, you said so yourself. You would be safe here from Eve, from Raphael, from whatever else might happen. And there's happy Misha here." Dean said.

"Oh, my god, you did it on purpose. You _decided_ to leave me here."

"We just thought... maybe it's better this way. Better here for you. You don't exactly... seem okay in our world." Sam interjected.

"You'd be safe."

"If I wanted _safe_ , I would have stayed in Florida! I was told to stay in Florida, to stay away from you assholes..." Tears stung her eyes. She shook her head, mostly at herself. "I'm gonna go."

"Go where?" Sam asked.

"Somewhere else. That's what you want. That's what Chuck said God wanted. God may not be in this universe, but... might as well. Better late than never."

"Mare..." Dean started.

"Nope." She put her hand up to silence him. ""I'm done playing the PA Bitch Slave. In this universe and in ours."

She walked out of the trailer and straight to the trailer labeled 'M. Collins.' and knocked. "Hey, Marion. Come on in, buddy." He said.

"Oh, I, uh, I just came to say 'goodbye'. Mr. Ackles just fired me, so... I'm going home to Florida."

"Aw. I'm so sorry. That's terrible. I mean, not Florida. Florida's pretty nice, but getting... let go."

"Yeah. You just... you were really nice to me when you definitely didn't have to be, so I wanted to thank you before I left."

"Well, you're welcome, of course. I'm sad that you have to go, but unfortunately, that's how the world works, right?"

Marion nodded. "You're a really nice guy, Mr. Collins." She smiled and started to stalk off the lot.

*************************************

Marion was sitting in her motel room when her phone went off with a Twitter alert. "Ever get that feeling someone's in the back seat?" She read aloud. "Oh, no. Tweeted an hour ago." She stood, then sat back down. She didn't know where to start looking for him to help. Instead, she opened up the laptop and pulled up a Vancouver crime blotter. Top result was a body found in an alley not too far from the set.

"Damn it!" She said, shutting the laptop and heading out on foot to the alley. As soon as she got there, she saw her brothers talking to a homeless man at the opposite mouth of the alley. She walked down.

"What did it say?" Sam asked as she walked up.

"Well, it didn't make any sense."

"Try us." Marion said. Dean nodded at her.

"The voice said for Virgil to return tomorrow at 'the place where he crossed over' at the 'time of the crossing' and Raphael would 'reach through the window and take him and the key home'."

"Uh, okay. Hey, thank you." Dean said, pulling a stack of Canadian bills out of his jacket and handing a 50 over. The homeless man rushed away and the Winchesters huddled.

"Uh, guys, if Virgil gets back with that key, Cas is dead and our world is toast."

"Then we stop him." Marion said.

"I mean, how bad can an angel with no wings be?" Dean agreed.

"So, what do we do until tomorrow?" Sam asked.

"Same as always. We hole up and plan." Marion suggested.

"We can't hole up at Padalecki mansion. We wouldn't be able to concentrate over Ruby's wailing." Dean groaned.

"Her friend just died, dude. Show some damn empathy."

"That guy was a douche-bag. With his Namaste shirt and his... Blackberry phone. Come on..."

"He was nice, and now he's dead. I can understand Mrs. Padalecki wailing. If I were less of a Winchester, I'd be wailing, too. Listen, I've still got that motel room. It's only one bed, but we can sleep like hunters tonight, come in bright tomorrow for our deal with Virgil."

Her brothers nodded and followed her out of the alley.

*********************************

Marion stepped out of the motel shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She walked out of the bathroom and sat on the little couch. Dean walked in, carrying her clothes. "Took 'em to the laundromat." He said, throwing them at her.

"Thanks."

"Hey. About earlier-" Dean started, sitting on the bed.

"Stop. I get it. I mean, I don't like it, but I think... I think _you_ really think that you'd have sent Cas or somebody to come get me once everything dies down on the other side." She leaned forward, holding the towel up. "But things will never die down over there. It will never be the way it is here. There will always be some impending disaster. Please don't push me down for my safety. Please."

Dean nodded. "You're strong. I shouldn't've ever... I love you, Mare. I was a dick."

She smiled and picked up her clothes. "Nothin' new, Mr. Ackles."

"Funny."

*****************************

The next day, the twins paced back and forth in the set of Bobby's study. Sam stood by the wall.

"You know that if we drop Virgil, get the key, then this might be it. We might be stuck here."

Sam swallowed and shook his head, slightly. "No, we'll figure out a way back."

Dean paced back to the window. "Yeah. You wouldn't be that broken up if we didn't, though."

Sam's eyebrows knit together, creating large wrinkles in his forehead. "What? Don't be stupid."

Dean turned and paced back. "Well, I'm just sayin'. No hell below us, above us only sky."

"Dean, our friends are back there."

"Yeah, but here, you got a pretty good life. I mean, back home, the hits have been coming since you were 6 months old. You gotta admit, being a, a bazillionare, married to Ruby, the whole package. It's no contest."

"No. You know, you were right." Sam said, turning to Dean. "We just don't mean the same thing here. I mean, we're not even brothers here, man. Marion doesn't even exist."

Dean gave a little smile. "All right, then. Let's get our crazy show back home."

"Virgil will be here any minute." Marion said, pulling her dark blue denim jacket closed. A sound of a shotgun blast rang out from the lot. She chuckled. "As if on cue."

As several more blasts came through the air, the Winchesters left the room to flank the angel.

"Hey!" Sam shouted, bringing his arms out to leave his chest open. Virgil brought up his shotgun, shooting a blast at Sam as Dean tackled him through a fake wall into a 'motel room'. Marion followed behind, picking up the Glock and climbing through the hole in the wall. Sam came in from the door and the brothers took turns beating Virgil senseless. Sam pulled the key out of the angel's pocket as Marion watched a familiar red sigil appeared on the window behind them. Noticing the fear on their sister's face, the brothers turned to the window.

"Raphael. Run!" Sam shouted, but none of them had a chance to move before they were pulled by Raphael's unseen grace through the window.

They landed on glass and asphalt, pain stinging through them. They looked up in time to see a black woman in a pantsuit and heeled boots walking forward. "You three... have the strangest luck."

The Winchesters stood into shaking fighting stances.

"Raphael?" Dean asked. "Nice meatsuit. Dude looks like a lady."

"Angels are-" Marion was cut off by Raphael squeezing a fist and her intestines feeling like they were in a vice. She and her brothers all fell to their knees.

"The key." Raphael said, bending over and picking the orange key off of the ground.

"And that will open you a locker at the Albany bus station." Marion's eyes shot up at the sound of Balthazar's voice. She began to stand again, helping Dean up as she went.

"Really?" Raphael didn't seem to believe Balthazar.

"You see, I needed a modest decoy to make it more convincing."

"Give me the weapons."

"Sorry, darling. They're gone."

"What?!"

"I said, too bloody late. You see, they were so well-hidden that I needed time to find them. So, I volunteered these three marmosets for game of fetch with Virgil. You lot were such an adequate stick. Thank you. Thank you, boys."

"You've made your last mistake." Raphael threatened.

"Oh, I've got a few more up my sleeve, honey."

Raphael advanced on Balthazar, her hand raising to smite him. Castiel suddenly appeared across the lot. "Step away from him, Raphael. I have the weapons now. Their power is with me." Marion grabbed Dean's arm and watched wide-eyed as lightning flashed, revealing the shadow of Castiel's outstretched wings.

"Castiel."

"If you don't want to die tonight..." Castiel walked forward, menacingly. "... Back off."

Raphael disappeared and Balthazar turned to Castiel. "Well, Cas, now that you have your sword, try not to die by it." He said, before disappearing, too. 

"Cas, what the hell?" Sam exclaimed as Cas stalked over and placed hands on the brothers. All three Winchesters appeared next to the broken window at Bobby's house. "Wait, wait, you were in on this? Using us as a diversion?"

Castiel turned his back and walked a few steps away from them. "It was Balthazar's plan." He defended, then seemed to think better of it. "I would have done the same thing."

"That's not comforting, Cas." Dean growled.

Marion's heart hurt to look at him. She hadn't seen him since the night they made love and for him to show up in this capacity, after everything... it hurt.

Castiel turned to them. "When will I be able to make you understand? If I lose against Raphael, we all lose. Everything."

"Yeah, Cas. We know the stakes. That's about all you've told us!" Dean shouted against the sound of the rain.

"I'm sorry about all this." Castiel said, looking between the Winchesters. "I'll explain when I can." He said, preparing to fly away.

Marion lurched forward, grabbing his wrist. "You'll explain when you can? That's not good enough. Not after what we just went through." They were suddenly out in the salvage yard, in the rain. Marion looked up at the falling droplet before running her hand over her face. It did nothing to get the water out of her eyes. "I can't... I can't do this!"

Castiel stared at her. She pushed him, both hands against his chest, but he didn't move. "You just had Balthazar send us to a place with no magic, no mojo, no God, or grace. You used us as distraction, sent us away to a place that we might not have been able to get back from and the best you can give us is 'I'll explain when I can'? We deserve more. _I_ deserve more."

"Why?" He asked. His voice was clear even through the rain. "Why do you deserve a different answer than I gave your brothers? Because we have had intercourse?"

"Jeez, Cas, call it 'sex'! And yes, because we are in a relationship. At least, I think we are. I don't ask about your war. I don't want the particulars, but I just..." She panted against her anger. "I haven't even seen you since Dean got Sam's soul back and then, suddenly you're using me as part of a wild goose chase? I thought we had something and we don't even... I know you've been around, I have the book and the rose, but... Do you even care, anymore?"

Castiel stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands and pressing his lips to hers. "Of course, I care." He mumbled against her lips.

Marion felt tears prickling at her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry, Castiel. It's just... it's been so hard. I miss you. I haven't even seen you since... the day I came back to be with Dean and Sam. I... I just... " She brushed her lips against his. "I feel like I did something wrong."

"Not at all."

"Was I bad? In bed, was I bad?" It came out barely more than a whisper.

"No. I don't have a lot of reference, but... no." Castiel said, pulling away from her a little. "You know, I have to leave. There's planning to do... but, don't worry. I promise I will explain when I am able."

Marion was left standing alone in the rain. She sighed and started to walk toward Bobby's house. "Well, that show was missing out on some grade A drama by leaving my character on the cutting room floor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked that. If you did, hit the Kudos button. I have an AU of the Marion story where she never got kidnapped or hit by the truck. She's a Winchester, through and through. If that's something you might like to read, leave me a comment. I'm trying to decide whether or not to post it.


	11. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skipping ahead to the other side of Frontierland. The Winchesters, Bobby and Cas go to find Eve.

Marion sat at Bobby’s kitchen table. She stared down at the locket she’d found in her pocket when she returned to the present time. It had to be from Castiel, some sort of apology for the fact that she’d barely been able to speak to him lately. It’d been months, actually. She’d gotten more conversation from his doppleganger in that other universe than she’d gotten from her beau. Misha had been very talkative. She’d been sad to see him die. Dean and Sam didn’t seem as affected by it. She listened to her twin cursing the amount of ash Colt had sent them as she tried once again to pry the locket open. There didn’t seem to be any glue holding it closed but she couldn’t get it open, no matter how hard she tried. As she heard Bobby’s front door open, she put the necklace in her pocket. She couldn’t feel bad for her failed relationship, right now. She smiled curtly and nodded slightly at Sam and Bobby as they headed for the basement where Dean was working.

“Hey.” Sam started. “How you doing?”

“Five shells.” Dean growled. “That’s how I’m doing.”

Sam sighed. “Well, you know, it’s a hell of a lot more than what we had last week.”

“Maybe.” Dean said, as Marion walked up.

“Meaning?” She asked.

“Meaning… I just had myself a little mishap a few minutes ago, and… uh, well, here, look.” Dean said, grabbing some of the ash and rubbing it on his arm. Nothing happens.

“Whoa.” Sam whispered.

“I mean, this stuff is supposed to burn the bejeezus out of Eve, doesn’t even give me a sunburn.”

“Lore says it works.” Bobby responded.

“That’s always reliable.” Dean said, cynically.

“Maybe that’s not how it works. You are human.” Marion chimed in.

“Yeah, you know what? Maybe it’s like, uh- maybe it’s like iron or silver. You know? Hurts them, not us.”

“Maybe, but a fat lot of good it does us ‘til we find the bitch.”

“I’m lookin’, but I’m thinkin’ maybe it’s time you made a call.” Bobby said, looking pointedly at Dean.

“Why me? He’s not my-”

Marion shook her head and started back up the stairs. She was exhausted on calling out to Castiel and him not answering her. She wasn’t sure she could take it again.

Dean turned back to the guys, knowing not to push it any further with his sister. “Why has it always got to be me that makes the call, huh? It’s not like Cas lives in my ass. The dude’s busy.”

Marion stopped at the top of the stairs as she heard the telltale sound of wings. She debated whether or not to turn back around for a minute, before settling to sit on the top step and look down on the scene.

Dean quickly moved away and spun around. “Cas, get out of my ass!”

“I was never in your-” Castiel started, but gave a confused look as he stopped. “Have you made any progress in locating Eve?”

“Well, we were gonna ask you about that.” Bobby said.

“No. I’ve looked, but she’s hidden from me. She’s hidden from all angels.” Castiel answered, casting a quick glance up to Marion.

“Awesome.”

“You know, what we really need is an inside man.” Sam said.

“What do you mean?”

“Something with claws and sympathy.”

“Like a friendly monster?” Dean asked. Sam shrugged. “Those are in short supply these days, don’t you think?”

“Sure, but we’ve met one or two, right?” Sam said.

“Maybe.” Dean responded sourly.  


“So we can find one.”

“Anybody you can think of, somebody still alive?” Bobby asked.

A moment of silence passes as Sam and Dean rack their minds for allies who hadn’t been killed in the Apocalypse or the lead-up to the Apocalypse. Marion cleared her throat and stood from her spot at the top of the stairs. She stepped down 3 steps and avoided Castiel’s gaze as she leaned over the railing to look at her brothers. “Lenore. You need to find Lenore.”

“Vampire Lenore. Thank God you’ve got my memories, cause I forgot about her.” Dean said, before turning to Cas. “Lenore. She’s a vegetarian vampire. You find her, we might have a lead.”

Castiel nodded and disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat upstairs in the kitchen by herself. She was staring down at the locket again. It reminded her of the other gifts he’d left behind without a word. They used to make her happy. They had been proof of his love. But now she felt like they were just things, things he threw her way so she wouldn’t get in his way.

“Marion!” She heard Dean call from the basement.

She pushed the locket deep into her pocket and stood. When she gets to the basement, she sees Lenore dead and knows that Castiel killed her.

“Grants Pass, Oregon.” Bobby said.

“And Lenore?” She asked.

Dean and Sam both gave a quick glance at Castiel, but then looked away. “She asked to be killed, so that she wouldn’t kill anymore. I acquiesced.” Castiel responded.

Marion nodded. “I’m ready when you boys are.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat in a chair pulled up to the booth in the diner, a plate of fries in front of her that she had taken to playing with instead of eating.

“Alright. I finally got the police database, no thanks to this.” Bobby said, gesturing to the iPad in his hands. “I asked for a computer.”

“It is a computer.” Sam defended.

“No, a computer has buttons.” Bobby responded, as the waitress walked up.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“No, we’re good. Thanks.” Dean dismissed her.

“Anything?” Sam asked.

“Oh, nickel and dime stuff, nothing weird. Basically, a dead end. You think Vampira was lying?” Bobby asked.

“I’ll search the town. Give me a moment.” Castiel volunteered.

Everyone around the table looked at Castiel, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did.

“Cas, we can still see you.” Dean piped up.

Castiel looked around, confused. “Yeah. I’m still here.”

“Okay, well you don’t have to wait on us, you-” Dean said, trying to understand what was going on. Castiel cleared his throat and seemed to strain to fly. “Well, now it just looks like you’re pooping.”

“Something’s wrong.” Castiel said, plainly.

“What, are you stuck?” Marion asked.

“I’m blocked. I’m powerless.”

“You’re joking?” Dean asked incredulously.

“Something in this town is, uh, it’s affecting me. I assume it’s Eve.”

Marion rolled her eyes. **_Of course it’s Eve._**

“So, wait, Mom’s making you limp?” Dean asked.

“Figuratively, yes.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but she is.”

“Well, that’s great, because without your power, you’re basically just a baby in a trench coat.” Dean snapped.

Marion would have felt offended for her boyfriend if it weren’t so true.

“I think you hurt his feelings.” Sam said.

Bobby cleared his throat to get their attention back. “I got something here, maybe. Had to go federal to get it. Call went out from the local office to the CDC last night.”

“About what?” Sam asked.

“A Dr. Silver called in an illness he couldn’t identify. Patient’s a 25 year old, African-American, name- Ed Bright.”

“Well, that’s not much to go on.”

“Well, its our only lead, so-”

Dean interrupted Bobby’s thought with a nod. “So beggars can’t be choosers, right? I get it. Alright, let’s finish up.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion stood at the doorway of the frat house. Dean and Castiel had insisted that she not go into the infection zone, but she couldn’t stand out there next to a powerless Castiel, knowing that if he could disappear, he would. Marion was in the perfect position, though, to hear everything her brothers were saying.

“Hey, Ed. Ed, what’s going on?” Dean asked.

“Uh, nothing. You’re ok. You’re okay, alright? We’re gonna get you help.” Sam responded.

“What? No, no. No, no, no, no, no, of course not. You, uh, you have a fever. You’re hallucinating.”

“Marshall, Marshall. Hey, what happened here?” Sam pushed. “No, you’re not gonna die, okay? Now you need to talk to us. It’s important.”

“And before you got sick, before Ed got sick, did you do anything? Did you go anywhere? Hey, I need you to focus for me.” Sam asked. “A bar? What bar? 8th street, um, did anything happen at the bar? Did you- did you see anything? Did you meet anyone? Look, an ambulance is on the way, okay?”

“A girl? Okay, and?” Dean urged. Marion could hear the desperation in her brother’s voice and knew the boy was on the edge. “Good, okay. What did the girl in white do? Marshall? Wh-wh-what did she do to Ed? Marshall?”

Marion genuflected for the poor dead boy as her brothers walked over to join her. “I don’t get it. What, a bunch of regular Joes wake up shifters? What the hell?”

“Shifters usually run in families. This looks like an infection. Nobody touched nothing?” Bobby seemed to direct the question to Marion.

“Didn’t even go in.” She mumbled.

“Well, I am bathing in Purell tonight.” Dean said.

“So, he said they met a girl.” Sam informed the others.

“It’s gotta be Eve.”

“But why would she do this?” Castiel questioned.

“Mommy monster- make more.”

“No, no, no, no. Cas has got a good point. I mean if she’s gonna make a shifter army, why make one that’s sick, gooey and dying?” Dean asked.

Bobby shrugged. “Add that to the pile of Crap That Don’t Make Sense.”

“So should we hit the bar?” Marion asked.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion looked around the bar. She was a bit disgusted by the amount of dead people-monsters.

“Well, the sheriff’s a mook, but still.” Bobby started to say as he walked around the bar.

“You’d think he’d notice this many missing people.” Marion agreed.

“We got a vamp over here. Nope. Scratch that. We got a wraith. What the hell? What has teeth and a spike?” Dean asked.

“Nothing.” Marion said.

“Never seen that in my life.” Bobby confirmed.

“Oh, great. So Eve’s making hybrids now?” Dean asked.

“Looks like.”

“Yeah, the question is why. I mean what does she want with the… what do you call these?” Dean asked.

“Well, congrats.” Bobby droned. “You discovered it. You get to name it.”

Marion rolled her eyes, knowing a rock reference was coming. Dean looked around, before matter-of-factly saying, “Jefferson Starships.”

“Oh, god.”

“Huh, because they’re horrible- and hard to kill.” Dean finished, looking very proud of himself.

“I like Starship.” Marion muttered, leaning down close to the wood floor to examine a dead Starship.

“You would.” Dean quipped.

Sam chose to ignore it and move on. “Looks like the whole bar has been turned into these-”

“Jefferson Starships.” Dean interjected.

“Fine. But why are all the… Starships dead?” Sam finished.

“Can’t say, but looks like they all burned up.” Bobby said, examining the monsters.

“Burned up, like?” Dean asked.

“Like a high fever, like the flu.” Marion answered.

“What the hell’s going on here? Does every monster in this town have the damn motaba virus?” Dean asked as the sheriff and two deputies showed up at the door to the bar.

“Hands where I can see ‘em!” The sheriff yelled.

Marion dropped completely to the floor, hoping they wouldn’t notice her in the sea of bodies.

“Now this is not what it looks like.” Castiel said.

“Look, we’re the Feds.” Bobby insured.

“Yeah? Well, Feds are not allowed to do this. Cuff ‘em. Turn around.” Marion watched from the ground as Castiel, Bobby, and Sam were led out the door. She was ecstatic that she hadn’t seen Dean’s boots walking out the door. Once she was sure the locals were gone, she stood up, careful not to touch any of the Starships. She looked over to the bar and breathed a heavy sigh. Dean was standing up from behind the bar.

“When did you get smart enough to hide in bad situations?” Marion quipped. “Come on, we gotta follow ‘em.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion watched from the doorway as Bobby questioned the sheriff, slashing him with a silver knife. Castiel stood off from the side, just staring. He seemed cold, upset and not just at the situation with Eve or the fact that he was powerless. She didn’t know how to approach it. She knew that she should talk to him. He was her boyfriend, after all, even if he wasn’t a very attentive one.

“Got a couple of hungry human boys here.” Dean said, leading two boys in from the cells. “C’mon guys.”

“So, you two never heard ‘em talk… about a mother, or someone named Eve?” Sam asked.

Marion looked at the group. The two sets of brothers. Something… wasn’t quite right. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was wrong.

The older boy shook his head. “It was just me and Ryan in there.”

“And your folks?” Dean asked, knowing the answer.

“Cops said we were next. He said we were food.”

“You have any other family?”

“An uncle, in Merritt.”

“Merritt, what’s that, like 15 miles outside of town? Okay. We’ll get you there.” Dean promised.

“Dean, can I have a word?” Castiel’s gravel voice prompted Dean to get up and walk away. Marion kept her eyes on the boys, but focused in on the angel’s words to her brother.

“We need to find Eve now.”

“Yeah. Go. Me and Sam just need to make a milk run.”

“We need your help here.” Castiel insisted.

“Hold your water. We’ll be back in a few.”

“Dean. Dean. Millions of lives are at stake, not just two. Stay focused.” Marion cringed a bit at the reaction she knew was coming because of the angel’s words.

“Are you kidding?”

“There’s a greater purpose here.”

“You know what, I-I’m getting a little sick and tired of the greater purpose, okay? I think what I’d like to do now is save a couple kids. If you don’t mind. We’ll catch up. Okay, guys, let’s go. C’mon.” Dean said, walking out the door.

“Damn it!” Marion cursed under her breath before rushing out the door and behind them. She grabbed Dean as he was getting in the driver’s seat and pulled him back out.

Ignoring that her twin looked ready to punch her, she shut the car door and whispered, “Something isn’t right, Dean. These kids shouldn’t have been here. These creatures, the Starships, have you seen any of the others saving food? No, they feed, they worship Eve and then they die. Why would they keep these boys for later?”

Dean shook his head and rested his hand on the door handle to show he was leaving as soon as he was done speaking. “Look, I’m gonna brush this off as you trying to agree with your boyfriend. We tested them. They’re human. You wanna stay here with Bobby and Cas, fine, but Sam and me, we’re takin’ them to their uncle’s place. We’re getting them out of this town. Now.”

Marion stepped back from the car, conceding defeat. “You go right ahead and ignore us, Dean. Ignore your twin sister and the only friend you’ve ever fucking had. Glad I’m not the only one you do that to.”

She didn’t look back as the door slammed and the tires squealed, but she turned when she got to the station door, just in time to see the taillights disappear over a hill. She looked up, wishing she hadn’t burned ties with Chuck, wishing she could call on God to tell her how this one ended. And for a few minutes, she considered taking a nap in the middle of this war zone, just to get a little reassurance from Lucifer. Lucifer, who was old enough to have probably met Eve before.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion walked inside about 20 minutes later, still sort of wanting a nap. As she walked past the sheriff’s office, she heard Castiel speaking in a hushed voice.

“I can’t go myself because Eve has… clipped my wings, so to speak. I would have to walk outside the area of her influence in order to fly there and take care of them. It would take far too long and Marion would notice my absence, even if Bobby did not. You must do this… I am certain… Even if they were not Children of Eve, you should have no qualms about killing them… I wouldn’t have asked you if I were not okay with the possible consequence… I will contact you after.”

Marion wasn’t sure what she had just heard but she knew it was something she wasn’t supposed to hear. “Hey. Who was that?” She asked, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.

Castiel put the phone back in his coat and walked out of the room. “It was Dean. They’ve left the boys in Merritt and will be on their way soon.”

Marion tilted her head a bit and followed him with her eyes as he walked toward the interrogation room. Castiel had just lied to her. No confusion, no misunderstanding, just a flat-out lie. She hadn’t even thought Castiel knew how to lie. “Oh. Okay.” was all she managed.

A few minutes later, Bobby was handing Marion a drink as Castiel came out of the interrogation room with his hands covered in blood. This wasn’t right. His actions were wrong. He was more distant, even darker than normal and that was bad.

“Eve’s at 25 Buckley Street. You can call Sam and Dean.” Castiel said, before walking off toward the restroom.

Bobby gave a pointed look to Marion, who tried to not show her discomfort. “How should I know, Bobby? The guy barely talks to me, anymore. We haven’t even kissed since right after Balthazar sent us to Bizarro-land. I have no idea what’s going on in his head, anymore.”

Marion pulled the locket out of her pocket and showed it to Bobby. “The only way I know we are still in a relationship, at all, is these little gifts he leaves for me. I’ve got a box full of them now.”

“Way he acts toward you, you sure he’s the one leavin’ ‘em?” Bobby asked, pulling out his phone to call Sam.

Marion stared at the drink in her hand and fought the uneasy feeling rising up in her stomach. “I need a nap.” she told herself.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

They walked up to the diner they’d eaten at earlier.

“You gotta be kidding me. She’s been in there the whole time?” Dean griped.

“Why’d she ever let us in?” Sam asked.

“Or out?” Marion added.

“Well, there’s one way to find out.”

“What, just stroll in? We don’t know who human or who’s her.” Bobby said.

“Well, there’s one way to draw her out. Me and Sam will go in.”

“Dean.” Bobby started.

“Look. If we don’t get a shot off, you three better.” Dean said.

“I’m going with you, Dean.” Marion said, pulling her brother’s arm toward her. “We both know that there is no ash in my shell. I’d rather be in there if shit goes down, then out here useless.” She whispered.

Dean nodded. “Didn’t mean for you to get that one.” He whispered back, walking forward.

She followed her brothers and sat down at the bar next to Sam. “Now what?” She and Dean asked in unison.

Sam pulled out his phone and used the camera to look around the diner for eye-flash. “Crap. Crap, crap.” He whispered.

“Starships?”

“Yeah.”

“Is there anybody in this diner that is not a flesh-eating monster?” Dean asked.

“Uh, me and Marion and you.”

“Okay, well, let’s get the hell out of here.” Dean said.

“Shall we?” Sam offered to Marion.

“Three specials, right?” The waitress asks, putting two plates down and then grabbing a third from behind her.

“Uh, no, that’s not for us. We were just headed out.” Sam said.

“Now that would be rude, Sam.” The waitress said, squaring off in front of them.

The siblings looked up at the woman for the first time. Her brunette hair was loose but pulled back. She seemed like a nice young woman. Except the coldness. Sam looked at both of his siblings before readjusting himself on the stool. “Let me guess. Eve.”

“Pleasure.” She said, curtly.

“Why don’t we step outside. Chat?” Dean asked.

“Why? This is private.” Eve said. She looked up and the Starships around the diner close the blinds. One of the monsters grabbed Dean’s bag and opened it, revealing the shotguns. Eve reached into the bag and grabbed Dean’s gun, she sniffed the end. “Phoenix ash. I’m impressed. I bet you had to go a long way for that.”

“You have no idea.” Dean mumbled. Sam scoffed.

Eve handed the bag off to a Starship. “Destroy these. Thank you.” She smiled curtly at the Winchesters. “Relax. I’m not here to fight.”

“No? Just to rally every freak on the planet, bring in Khan Worms and-and half-assed spider-men… and dragons. Really, sister? Dragons?” Dean goaded.

“So I dusted off some of the old classics. I needed help.”

“With what?” Sam scoffed. “Tearing apart the planet?”

“You misunderstand me. I never wanted that. Not at first. I liked our arrangement.”

“What arrangement?” Marion asked, the words coming out a little more meek than she wanted.

“The natural order. My children turned a few of you, you hunted a few of them. I was happy.” Eve replied.

“Okay, so what changed?” Dean demanded.

“My children, no thanks to you, started getting kidnapped and tortured. Even my first borns.” Marion threw a quick glare at her brothers as Eve continued. “I was pushed into this. After all, a mother defends her children.”

“Really?” Dean asked, incredulously. “You’re gonna use the Mother of the Year defense? You?”

“It happens to be true. Know what? Maybe you’ll believe it if I look a little more like this.” Marion had to force herself not to look away as Eve changed her visage to look like her mother.

“Oh, you bitch.” Dean growled.

“She died to protect you, didn’t she? See. You understand a mother’s love. I’m no different.” Marion gave a shuddering sigh at the sound of her mother’s voice. Dean looked over, seeing the enamored look on his sister’s face, got angry.

“Alright, you know what? This conversation’s over. If you’re gonna kill us, kill us.”

“You? No. It’s Crowley I want dead.” Eve said.

“Well, you’re too late there- that little limey mook roasted months ago.” Dean snapped.

“Crowley’s alive.” Eve said, matter-of-factly.

“That’s impossible.” Sam said.

But Marion knew it wasn’t impossible. As soon as Eve had spoken the words, she knew it was true. It had never made sense, she realized, but she’d been so desperate to rejoin her brothers, to stop hiding, that she’d made herself believe it.

“Your sister knows it’s not impossible.”

Sam and Dean were soon staring at her expectantly. Marion looked down. “It never made sense. It was too easy. The King of Hell brought down by a single pawn of Heaven’s army? No way that happens. That’s not even how it works in actual chess.”

“If you didn’t think it was true, why didn’t you say something?” Sam asked.

“If Crowley was at least pretending to be dead, then you guys weren’t working for him, anymore. If he was not around, then I wasn’t in danger and I could come back. I just… ignored that it seemed wrong.”

“He’s alive. I see his face through the eyes of every child he strings up and skins. Any idea why he’s hurting my babies?” Eve asked, walking around the counter to stand between Marion and Sam.

“He wants Purgatory, right? Location, location, location.” Dean said.

Eve laughed. “Is that what he told you? It’s about the souls.”

“What about ‘em?” Sam asked.

“Their power, you simple little monkey. Fuel. Each soul a beautiful little nuclear reactor. Put ‘em together, you have the sun. Now think what the King of Hell could do with that vast, untapped oil well. How powerful he’d be. Now Crowley wants to siphon off my supply, and torture my children to do it? Okay, fine. I’ll quit playing nice. I’ll turn you all. Every soul, mine. Let’s see how hot his hell burns when everyone comes to me. He asked for it.”

“You know, last I checked, there were a few billion of us. That plan might take a while.”

“What exactly do you think I’m doing here? I’m building the perfect beast.” Eve said.

“Wait a second, all those- all those things we’ve been finding.” Sam said.

“Call it beta testing.” Eve quipped.

“Well, I think your formula might be a little off. They’re imploding all over town.” Dean said.

“Oh, there were a few unfortunate failures. But I eventually got it right. Quiet, smart, inconspicuous.”

As her brothers went back and forth with Eve about the Starships, Marion’s stomach twisted. _**Quiet. Inconspicuous.**_ She gasped a little, and at the same moment Eve smiled and said, “Little Ryan.”, Marion whispered, “The boy.”

Eve threw a little smile her way, before turning to the brothers. “You look upset. If it makes you feel any better, Ryan was bound to work on you. Little wayward orphan, like yourselves. I almost thought Marion was gonna ruin it when she ran out to the car, but there’s nothing you can do about it now. So, let’s talk.”

“Nothing to say.” Sam answered.

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I have an offer to propose. Crowley. As you know, not so easy to find. So, here’s the deal. You find him, bring him to me- I let you live.” Eve offered.

“Pass.” Dean answered, quickly.

“Dean.” Sam urged.

“Sam, no.” Dean turned to Eve. “The answer is no.”

“You say that like you have another option.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.” Dean tossed back.

“You think?” A side door to the diner opened and Marion closed her eyes in silent futility as Castiel and Bobby were pushed in. “Well, so much for your plan B.” Eve said before turning to Cas. “And you, wondering why so flaccid? I’m older than you, Castiel. I know what makes angels tick. Long as I’m around, consider yourself unplugged.”

Eve turned away from the angel and came over to wrap her left arm around Marion. “Work for me. It’s a good deal. Bonus, I won’t kill your friends. This little princess would probably hate to lose her angel.”

“Alright, look. The last few months we’ve been working for an evil dick. We’re not about to sign up for an evil bitch. I’m gonna take my sister’s advice on this. We don’t work with demons. We don’t work with monsters. And if that means you gotta kill us, then kill us!” Dean said.

**_Now, he listens to me?!_ **

Eve let go of Marion and walked around to behind the counter. “Or, I turn you. And you do what I want, anyway.”

“Beat me with a wire hanger, answer’s still no.” Dean said.

Marion and Sam jumped up as Eve suddenly appeared behind Dean, grabbing his shoulders. She felt two hands grasp her arms firmly at the elbow, holding her in place.

“Don’t. Test me.” Eve said, her head right next to Dean’s ear.

Dean turned his head a little and glared at her as best he could. “Bite me.”

Marion closed her eyes as her brother’s blood spurted across the diner and the shouting began.

“No!” from her little brother.

“Dean!” from her sometimes lover.

And then, the sound of coughing with an other-worldly rumble behind it. She opened her eyes to see Dean standing. “Phoenix ash.” He pulled out an empty shotgun shell from his pocket. “One shell, one ounce of whisky. Down the hatch. Little musty on the afterburn. Call you later, Mom.” Dean said.

Marion was sad to see Eve turn back into her brunette visage. Sad that she couldn’t see her mother’s face anymore. But when the black liquid began to pour out of her facial orifices, Marion knew that Eve was dead, and that she should focus on the Starship holding her arms. Apparently, everyone else had the same idea, because all the Starships started to attack.

“Shut your eyes!” Castiel yelled.

Marion threw her arm over her eyes, but the white light still made it through. She spent a moment blinking away stars from her eyes as Bobby stepped over a few bodies toward Dean. “We gotta take you on more monster hunts.”

“Hey, Cas, um… Dean’s bleeding pretty good.” Sam said, looking over at Dean pressing a rag to his neck.

“Yeah, I think she turned me into a Jefferson Starship. Could you clear that up, too?” Dean groaned.

Castiel touched Dean’s shoulder, lightly, and the wound healed. Dean rolled his shoulders and sighed. “Alright, we’re good. We got to go. Now.”

“Where?” Castiel asked, confused.

“The kid. The little kid. He’s one of ‘em.” Dean admitted.

“Unbelievable.”

“Yeah. I know, Cas. You told me, alright. Let’s just go.” Dean said, prompting Castiel to shake his head. Dean placed the empty shell on the counter and walked over to Castiel. Castiel shook his head again as he flew them to the uncle’s house in Merritt.

They all looked down at the dead uncle on the floor in the living room. “So, we kill the wicked witch and she still wins. I mean, they could’ve turned half the town by now.” Dean shook his head as Cas started to say something. “Don’t say it.”

Marion genuflected and turned away from the uncle as Bobby opened a door. “Found ‘em.” Bobby said, swinging the door open wider.

Marion followed her brothers and Castiel over to the door, which led to a cellar. “Well, who ganked them?” Dean asked.

Sam and Marion both bent down to investigate a yellow powder. Marion’s breath caught in her throat as Sam looked up and said, “Demons.”


	12. No Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion pieces the puzzle together, and makes a decision about her life.

Marion stared at the sulfur sitting next to the dead boy. Her mind flashed to Eve telling them that Crowley was still alive, how Marion didn’t doubt it, as soon as the words hit her ears. Castiel didn’t kill him. He never even thought he had. That’s why he hadn’t mentioned it to her that night.

She looked up to Castiel’s face, anger boiling up inside of her.

“Well, he is a tricky bastard.” Dean said to Castiel. He couldn’t see it. He wouldn’t see that he had been being tricked, likely for months.

“I’m an angel! I’ll find out what happened.” Castiel said, disappearing.

Marion stared at the space he disappeared from, as flashes of realization hit her. The phone call at the sheriff’s station, the make-out session with the demon, him constantly being on Earth but unable to come see her. He’d been lying to her for months.

“Mare, what do you think about this?” Dean’s voice cut through her thoughts. Her eyes snapped to her brother’s face. A tear escaped her right eye and she shook her head. She turned and walked out the door, heading down the street, ignoring Sam and Dean shouting after her.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion stopped after walking several dozen miles through woods, into the next town over and went into a small bed and breakfast. She sighed and walked in, securing a room at ‘Mama Lisa’s Bed and Breakfast’. She threw her phone on the counter and lied down on the bed to cry.

Eventually, she fell into a deep sleep. The room shifted and suddenly, she was laying on a metal table in a makeshift lab. She sat up, finding herself in the same room as Crowley. He didn’t seem to notice her so she hopped down and looked around the room. She jumped a little as Castiel showed up in a flurry of wings.

“Why did you call for me? Have you found our way into Purgatory?”

“No. I’ve got Moose and Squirrel hunting down a wolf for me, though. No, we’ve got another problem. Your ex-girlfriend is a lot smarter than her brothers. She knows I don’t have Sam’s soul, knows someone from Heaven pulled Grandpa Campbell back into the game. Give her a little time and she’ll figure out our whole little arrangement.”

Castiel’s brow furrowed. “What do you expect me to do about it?”

“I expect you to do something about ‘er! What she needs is a distraction. So, why don’t you go to her and push some cushion, get her off our back.”

“My relationship with Marion has been terminated for more than a year and I don’t believe she’s forgiven me for what happened with Meg.”

“So, win ‘er favor back. She seems like the type to cream over a hero, go save ‘er life. She’s headed to a church in Tennessee where one of mine just convinced one of yours to kill 4 of her sister nuns. I’ll send a demon her way, you pop in and pull ‘er out. Then, you distract the bitch.”

“Don’t call her that.” Castiel said, gruffly.

“Good, you still give a damn ‘bout her. That’ll make it more believable. Now, go get her off our backs. Unless you want Raphael to win.”

Castiel looked down, then disappeared.

The scene changed a little, with Crowley appearing on the other side of the room, in front of a vampire who seemed right on the edge of death. Castiel popped in, looking a bit disappointed.

“She’s convinced you have a kill order out for her. She seems content to just stay in her hotel rooms, kill a few monsters. She’ll stay away from Sam and Dean. She’ll stay out of it.”

“Right, then. You just keep her distracted every once in a while, and we’ll keep at it.”

“I feel like… perhaps I should sever my relationship with her. Sam and Dean don’t really listen to her. She’s distracted. She thinks you’re trying to kill her. She won’t be a problem.”

“You think she won’t think somethin’s a-bloody-wry when the angel who was gaga over her a year ago pulls ‘er bleedin’ ‘eart out?! No. You will stick this out until we find the way into Purgatory.”

Castiel blinked a few times, staring at Crowley. “Fine. I will, periodically, spend some time with her, continue to keep an eye on her.”

“Nah. You don’t have to put that much effort in. Here.” Crowley snapped his fingers and a red rose appeared in his fingers. “Just pop right in while she’s sleepin’, leave this on her pillow. Little tokens to keep her mind on you and off of me.”

Castiel took the flower, which Marion recognized as the rose she’d pressed into the back of her medieval studies book, then disappeared.

The scene changed a little again as Marion’s rage and disgust made her jaw clench. Castiel stood in front of Crowley, his hair mussed and his clothing slightly awry. This was the night that they made love.

“Well, you finally went beast on ‘er. She believe I’m dead like those idiot brothers o’ hers?”

“I… was unable to tell her. But I’m sure she’ll have no doubts.”

“Good. She as much of a firecracker in bed as she seems?”

“I don’t… is that a euphemism?”

“She seems like she’d make your toes curl, that’s all.”

“If that is a reference to her sexual aptitude, she… was… not quite as good as the demon Meg.”

“Well, then, maybe you should try getting Meg into your bed.”

“Marion is in love with me. And if any of the Winchesters were going to figure out I didn’t really burn your bones, it’d be her. It’d be a better idea to keep the relationship, keep her from thinking too much about… everything.”

“If that’s what you want to do, Cas. All means.”

The scene changed again, completely this time. She stood in a study of a mansion.

“The dragons have brought their Mother, Mother of All over from Purgatory.” Castiel said.

“Good. If we can find the bitch, maybe we can find our way in.”

“I’ll work on it.”

The scene changed to the diner, with Eve and all the Starships dead on the floor.

“Eve told them you’re still alive. They think I was tricked by you, that I accidentally burned the wrong bones. They still know nothing of substance.”

“Even your girlfriend?” Crowley asked, sitting at one of the booths.

“She gave no indication that she’d figured anything out.” Castiel answered, sitting across from the King of Hell.

“Good. Because we’re gettin’ pretty close here and we don’t need a damn Winchester bollocksin’ it up. Like they did with her!” Crowley said, pointing at Eve’s body.

“I can’t see this anymore.” Marion whispered, sliding to the floor and curling into a fetal position next to Eve’s body.

The diner swirled into black as she cried into her knees. “I had to show you the extent of his betrayal, Marion, or it wouldn’t hurt enough.” Lucifer said, appearing next to her and rubbing her back.

“It hurts too much.” She wailed.

“You knew this moment was coming, Mare-Bear. God warned you months ago that Castiel was going to rip your heart out. Now, Marion, is the time to act.”

“Act? He’s an angel… working with the King of Demons. I’m a nothing human. I can’t do anything.” She sobbed.

“Not alone, no. But I told you that you were special. I told you that when this moment came, when you need support, I would be here to help.”

“How can you help me? You’re stuck.” Marion asked, sitting up, wiping at her eyes.

Lucifer smiled, sweetly. “I can’t help you from the Cage, that’s true. Neither can Michael, but we could both help you if we were freed.”

Marion pulled away from him. “You want me to find a way to get you out?”

“Michael and I don’t want to do the battle. No Apocalypse. And I have no intention of… killing all bipeds. I want to help you, being free of Hell is just a plus.”

“What do you expect me to do? It took Lilith 66 seals and her death to spring you last time.”

“Stop being cryptic, brother. The girl is hysteric. Speak plain.” Adam’s form walked up in the darkness.

Lucifer rolled his eyes a bit at his older brother. “Marion… I’ve said you’re special, but not just because you’re… willful. You are… just like Sam and Dean, you’re an angel vessel.”

“A match for Lucifer and myself. Not the perfect vessel for either, but an option for both of us.” Michael continued.

“You want me to… be your vessel? Pull you out of the Pit by saying ‘yes’?” Marion asked.

“No one has ever housed 2 archangels within them, it might… tear you apart to even try.” Lucifer explained, gingerly.

“All of this… the friendship, it was a ploy to get me to pull you out, wasn’t it? You don’t care at all about me.” Marion said.

“I do care. And that’s why, if you pull us out, the first thing we’ll do is pay brother Castiel a visit in your regard.”

Marion wiped at her eyes, standing. “I’ll think about it.”

“If you decide to say ‘yes’…” Michael started, causing Marion to turn to him. “You know what Sam had to do before he could say ‘yes’ to Lucifer?”

“Demon blood. Yeah. Got it. Let me wake up, now.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion took a moment to wash the salt from her cheeks and put some eye drops in to hide the redness.

“Castiel!” She growled, keeping her voice down but shouting with her mind.

A flutter of wings caused her to turn. “Are you all right, Marion?”

“I know, Castiel. I know about you… and Crowley.” She tried to not show her rage.

“Marion…” Castiel seemed to try to find words but couldn’t.

“And I know why. I understand. Crowley’s gonna get you enough power to keep Raphael from restarting the Apocalypse. I get it… but you lied.” Marion said, her hands balling into fists. “To Dean, to Sam, to me. You… you created this whole relationship as a ploy to keep me off your trail. Everything that you did, everything that I thought was proof you cared, was all from Crowley mind.”

Castiel’s brow furrowed. “How do you know all of this?”

“You’re not the only one who’s made friends of old enemies. I just have to know… before I make my decision on how to deal with you… did you ever care? Or were you really hoping I’d toss you on your ass when you made out with Meg?” Marion’s nails were digging into her palms.

“Your smile still makes me happy, Marion. And the intercourse was enjoyable, of course, but…” He cut himself short.

“You don’t want me. You haven’t… the whole time. Not since the Apocalypse. The whole thing really was Crowley.” Marion tried, in vain, to swallow away the tears popping up. “God, I should’ve listened. Chuck knew the whole…”

Castiel stepped forward. “Please, understand. I did this for you, for all of you.”

“I know why, Castiel. That doesn’t change it! And when my brothers figure this out…”

“You haven’t told them?” Castiel asked, surprised.

She wiped at her eyes. “Dean would never believe it from me. He never believes me. He’s gotta put it together himself. And he will, eventually.”

“Marion.”

She put her hand up, ignoring the blood rolling down her palm. “I’m done, Castiel. I should’ve walked away from you when Chuck told me to. But I was hoping it would turn out differently. I won’t call for you again. No matter if you find Purgatory or not, I won’t be around to celebrate or mourn with you.” She shook her head and muttered, “Shouldn’t have been here in the first place.”

“Should just resign myself to what was written. What He couldn’t rewrite.” She finished with a sigh.

She grabbed her jacket and her phone and walked to the door. “Don’t look so worried, Cas. I know exactly what I’m doing. Good luck with your endeavor-”

Castiel just watched as she walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

It had only taken Marion a few days to make her decision. She very carefully put the IV needle into her captive’s arm and undid the tourniquet. She undid the kink in the tube and watched as it’s blood poured into the first of many blood bags.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” The demon raged, contorting the face of the man it was riding. Marion put a rag in it’s mouth.

“Exhibiting patience, unlike my brothers. They’re always rushing into things, being rash. See, I have an opportunity to gain a huge advantage in the fight I have upcoming. And to do that, I’ll have to drink an unprecedented amount of demon blood. I’ll have to drink a gallon of the stuff, just to activate whatever strength I have, I’m sure. My baby brother had months of sucking this stuff down before he took Lucifer in. His potential was already unlocked. And he still had to down gallons of it. He had to drain 3 demons completely to get enough. Put it all in old milk jugs, lost damn near a gallon to the ground in his rush. See, I realized that your regenerative abilities would make one demon a slightly slower, but still quick, and endless supply of demon blood. And I won’t have to kill your vessel to get it. A little B&E at a donor clinic and I’m set. Even got one of their little fridges.”

Marion kicked the 2.5 cubic foot mini-fridge at the foot of her chair. “Then, I smoke you out of your vessel and go about my business.” She leaned forward and looked at the blood bag. It was half full. “Just 31 more of these and I can get my first solo exorcism under my belt.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

5 hours later, Marion looked away from her old, tattered copy of Grimm, sticking her bookmark in between the pages of Robber Bridegroom. The demon looked pale, a little ill, but still pretty normal. She set the book down on the mini-fridge and pulled the IV roughly from the demon’s arm. She was done being patient. She had to get to drinking so she could get her revenge. She pulled the needle off the end and looked at the blood in disgust. She took a deep breath and put the tube in her mouth.

At first, her mind and body reacted to the blood exactly as she thought she would. She gagged a bit at the taste, copper with a sulfur burn at the end. The thick liquid went down roughly for a few moments, but then the tingling started.

Marion had, sort of, expected it to be like her first shot of whiskey, but as her body slowly began to tingle all over and her heart rate skyrocketed, she found herself clinging to one of Dean’s memories. He’d crashed a party when he was 19 and been handed a joint. He hadn’t been told it was laced with speed.

Before she even realized she was doing it, Marion leaned over and grabbed another bag from the fridge. She drained four more bags in the course of five minutes, then slumped in her chair, letting the tingle crash over her.

“Ooh! Why isn’t this being sold in shady back alleys? You guys could make a fortune.” Marion said, breathlessly.

She rolled her eyes as her cell phone started ringing, knowing it was Dean for the fiftieth time, and she pulled it out as it went to voicemail.

_**“You know, you friggin’ beg me to get you out of Bobby’s house, take you on hunts. You claim you’re a real hunter, but when shit hit’s the fan, where are you? When Cas has gone dark side and he needs the woman he loves to talk him down, where are you? When Crowley stole Ben and Lisa to get me to back off- Cas broke the wall in Sam’s head, and now he won’t wake up. And where are you? Nowhere to be found. I swear to God, you better call me back this time, Mare, and let me know you aren’t with the infant Cas. You better not be with him. Fuckin’ call me.**_”

Marion sighed dramatically, sucking on the tube of a blood bag that she hadn’t realized she’d grabbed, as she typed out a text with her thumbs. “You are harshing my buzz, Dean.” She whispered to herself around the tube.

‘ **He doesn’t love me, Dean. He never did. Our relationship was just a plot to keep me from figuring out his plan with Crowley. I’m sorry about Sam, but do you want me to sit next to his bed like you’re doing, praying he’ll wake up? Not my style, sorry. And no, I’m not with Cas… and next time I see him, I’m gonna stick an angel blade between his pretty blue eyes. Don’t worry.** ’

Her phone started ringing again a minute later. She spit the empty blood bag on top of the quickly growing pile at her feet and answered the call. “Do you really think you can do this, Dean? He’s the only friend you’ve ever had. You’re still trying to think of ways to save him from himself. But he can’t be saved. It’s gonna have to take the woman scorned to stop him and teach him his lesson about loyalty and his choices affecting the people who care about him.”

“You can’t go up against him alone. He’s a friggin’ angel.” Dean pleaded.

“I’m not gonna be alone, Dean. And it’s not like Castiel is the strongest angel on Earth. Not by a long shot.”

“Oh, come on! Tell me you aren’t shacked up with angels on this, Marion! That’s almost as bad as Cas getting in with Crowley.” Dean scolded.

Marion laughed, giddily, the buzz running through her body more as the last bag of blood hit her system. “You have no idea, Dean.”

“Are you drunk?” Dean asked, in disbelief.

She giggled again. “Would that I were, Dean. Would that I were.” Marion cleared her throat. “But seriously, Dean, I’ve got a lot to do, a lot to drink and an exorcism to perform so I’m gonna have to get off the phone. Hopefully…”

She sighed deeply and cleared her throat again, a sudden lucidity hitting her as she remembered that taking 2 angels into her might tear her to pieces and this might be the last time she spoke to her brother. “Hopefully, my plan doesn’t blow up in my face, Dean, but if it does… I love you… and Sammy. Remember that.” She said before turning the phone off and grabbing another bag of blood.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

As Marion drank the last of the final blood bag, her attention focused on the demon, already looking less pale. She started to speak the exorcism, then changed her mind, instead reaching out to the demon inside and pulling it out with her mind. The demon smoked out and down to Hell with ease. So, Marion considered, momentarily if she even needed Michael and Lucifer. But as powerful as she felt, she knew she wasn’t angel strong.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion fell asleep in the back seat of the car she’d stolen to get out of town, pulled onto the shoulder of the road. She came to dreamland in the vast darkness that she’d seen last time.

“I can see you’ve made your choice. How much did you drink?” Lucifer asked, appearing next to her.

“Four gallons.” She said, turning to him. “So, how’s this work? I just say ‘yes’ to you and you pop out of the Pit into me?”

“There’s a bit more ritual to it. Were we not in this Cage, it would be that easy.” A familiar voice said, walking up beside her. She immediately realized that Michael had shirked the visage of her brother, Adam, and now appeared as the attractive barista she’d flirted with at her college.

“But we’re going to have to attach to your soul to ride you out of the Cage.” Lucifer continued.

“We’ll have to mark you, claim your soul for our own.”

She looked between the angels. “It’s not a coincidence that you used ‘ride’, ‘claim’, and ‘mark’ all to describe one ritual, is it?”

Lucifer smirked. “You are a wonder with subtext, Marion.”

“So…” She swallowed hard, as her mind wrapped around what she’d have to do in order to get her revenge. “…both of you? Together?”

“No. Not at all. We both must mark you before you wake, though.” Michael said.

“Unless you want to.” Lucifer quipped.

“Well, I’m thankful for that. Also, thankful you stopped looking like my brother. That would’ve been weird. So… who’s up first?” She asked, determined. She’d come too far.

“Completely up to you, Mare-bear. Michael’s more of a Minute Man. He’ll get done and move on. Me…” Lucifer leaned in next to her ear and whispered, “I learned to love this game when I was on Earth last time. I’ll take my time.”

Just the simple sentence made Marion’s mind for her, as a shiver went down her spine. “I’ll get Michael out of the way first.”

“Good choice.” Lucifer said, winking, then disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion felt a bit like a whore as Michael thanked her and disappeared in the dark. Prostituting herself to get what she wants. A film of dirt seemed to be on her soul as she adjusted her skirt.

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I know Mikey’s not the most amorous lover, but…” Lucifer began, appearing next to her on the ground. “I appreciate what you’re doing here. And I have no intention to make you feel any dirtier.”

Lucifer lightly caressed her cheek as the dark ground became a king-size bed. “I intend to lavish you with all the respect you deserve for your sacrifice.” Lucifer brought his lips to hers and brushed them together.

“Together, we’ll teach Brother Castiel how to treat a good woman.”


	13. Love is a Battlefield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael, Lucifer, and Marion work together.

Marion woke up, still in the back of the car. Her body felt heavy, but powerful. She sat up, examining her arms and sternum for signs that her body was coming apart. When she found none, she jumped into the front seat and was about to start the car.

_“Fly there. We don’t have time for wheels and roads_.” Michael told her from inside her head.

“Fly? How do I…?”

“ _You’re two-thirds angel, right now, Marion. Best get used to doing angel things. Visualize where you need to go, our wings will do the rest._ ” Lucifer said.

Marion took a second to visualize Bobby’s salvage yard, then a woosh of wind signaled her change of scenery. She walked quickly into Bobby’s house and into the basement. The house was empty. Marion found a piece of paper on the cot with an address written on it. “What about this? Just think the address?”

“ _Yeah. Focus on the address and the wings will take you there._ ”

She appeared outside of the large laboratory building and walked in. Hearing voices down the long hallway, she followed down.

“Now, what’s the matter, Raphael? Somebody clip your wings?” A pang of anger hit Marion at the sound of Castiel’s voice.

“Castiel, please. You let the demon go, but not your own brother?”

“The demon, I have plans for. You, on the other hand…” There was the unmistakable sound of ripping flesh as someone, Marion could only guess Raphael, exploded.

“So, you see, I saved you.” Castiel said.

“Sure thing, Cas. Thank you.” Dean’s voice was apprehensive.

“You doubted me, fought against me, but I was right all along.”

“Okay, Cas, you were. We’re sorry. Now, let’s just defuse you, okay?”

“What do you mean?” Castiel asked, as Marion approached the room.

“You’re full of nuke. It’s not safe. So, before the eclipse ends, let’s get them souls back to where they belong.”

“Oh, no, they belong with me.”

“No, Cas, it’s-it’s-it’s scrambling your brain.”

“No. I’m not finished yet. Raphael had many followers, and I must punish them all, severely.”

Marion watched as Sam stealthily walked across the hall into the lab room, crossing straight in front of her without seeing her.

“Listen to me. Listen, I know there’s a lot of bad water under the bridge, but we were family once. I’d have died for you. Almost did a few times. So, if that means anything to you… Please, I’ve lost Lisa, I’ve lost Ben, and now I’ve lost Sam. Marion is off getting herself into something horrible in an attempt to stop you… don’t make me lose you, too. You don’t need this kind of juice anymore, Cas. Get rid of it before it kills us all.” Dean pleaded.

“You’re just saying that because I won. Because you’re afraid.”

Marion stood in the doorway and watched Sam pick up the angel blade on the floor.

“You’re not my family, Dean. I have no family.”

She flinched a bit when Sam stuck the angel blade into Castiel’s back, but was unsurprised when he didn’t explode into light with grace releasing from his eyes and mouth. She shook her head as Castiel pulled the blade from his back and put it down next to him.

“I’m glad you made it, Sam. But the angel blade won’t work, because I’m not an angel anymore. I’m your new God. A better one. So, you will bow down and profess you love unto me, your Lord. Or I shall destroy you.”

“Well, all right, then.” Bobby said, getting down on his knees. “Is this good or you want the whole ‘forehead to the carpet’ thing?” He looked up to Sam and Dean. “Guys?”

As Sam and Dean started to kneel with great difficulty, Castiel shook his head. “Stop. What’s the point, if you don’t mean it? You fear me. Not love, not respect, just fear.”

“Cas…” Sam tried.

“Sam, you have nothing to say to me; you stabbed me in the back. Get up.” Castiel said to Dean.

“Cas, come on, this isn’t you.”

“The Castiel you knew is gone.”

“So, what then? Kill us?” Dean ground out.

“What a brave little ant you are.” Castiel said, slightly amused. “You know you’re powerless, you wouldn’t dare move against me again. That would be pointless. So, I have no need to kill you. Not now. Besides… once, you were my favorite pets before you turned and bit me.”

“Who are you?” Dean asked, in disbelief.

“I’m God. And if you stay in your place, you may live in my kingdom. If you rise up, I will strike you down.”

“Not doing so well, are you Sam?”

“I’m fine. I’m…fine.”

“You said you would fix him… you promised!”

“If you stood down, which you hardly did. Be thankful for my mercy. I could have cast you back into the Pit.”

“Cas, come on, this is nuts!” Dean begged.

“What about me, Castiel?” Marion finally walked into the room. “I once loved you, respected you. I still don’t fear you. If I got down on my knees, would you call it false?”

“Marion. You’re… different.” Castiel turned to her.

“As are you. God, then? Fairly large shoes to fill.”

“Marion, what are you doing?” Dean asked.

“Shut up, Dean. I’m talking to God. I mean, how many opportunities am I going to have to talk to God? Excepting all the times I’ve spoken to him before, of course.”

“Praying at night and seeing Him in your dreams is nothing close to this.” Castiel said.

“I’m well aware, Castiel. But that’s not what I mean.” She dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out Dean’s amulet. “I’m talking about this… burning hot in God’s presence.”

“You met God?!” Dean and Bobby shouted.

“I’m not talking to you!” Marion shouted. Her eyes turned bright blue, as Dean and Bobby flew into the wall.

“You’re possessed by an angel. An archangel?” Castiel asked, angrily.

“Maybe. But they’re a backseat right now. This is me. Talking to my ex-lover, who happens to believe he’s God. I’ve met God. Do you want to know about him? So that you can be a better God, of course.”

“How did you meet God? I was an angel and I never met him.”

“He wasn’t looking to be found, Castiel. Until he was, and I was there. You were not. If he wanted you to know him, he would have revealed himself to you. But God, in his wisdom, chose me. And He told me not to trust you. He knew your ambition would lead us here. He knew that I would react this way to your betrayal. I should’ve listened, but… I couldn’t imagine you as a traitor.”

“I am not a traitor.”

“No, of course not.” Marion sat on one of the tables. “You have to declare loyalty before you can be a traitor. It’s not like you’ve declared yourself loyal to Dean, right? You refused to count yourself loyal to me. You aren’t even loyal to God, anymore. So, how would that ever make you a traitor?”

Castiel narrowed his eyes as Sam ran to help Dean and Bobby stand. Marion stuck her hand out and Sam felt an unseen force push him to the ground next to his brother.

“I know persistence is an admirable hunter trait, boys, but every once in a while, you gotta stay down and let the fight be done. Your part of this battle is over. You’re benched.”

“Marion, I’ve had an angel inside me before. You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into. You need to rescind your offer. Now, before it takes you over completely.” Sam begged.

“I don’t have time for this. The angel you are possessed of is no consequence. The conversation you had with the old God is of no consequence. I have many things to fix. I hope, for your sake, this is the last I see of you.” Castiel said, disappearing.

Marion screamed in anger and jumped off the table. She grabbed the edge of it and threw it into the far wall.

“Marion, what did you do?” Dean asked, standing.

“Dean said you were workin’ with angels, but this is a bit more than that, don’t ya think?” Bobby said.

“ _You knew they wouldn’t like this arrangement, Mare. Probably shouldn’t explain too much_.”

“I did what I had to. They needed help. I needed help. It works. They’ve left me with control. It’s fine. Now, excuse me. I have to go search Heaven for a pissed off poseur.”

“Wait! Did you say ‘they’?” Sam asked.

“You got more than one angel inside you?” Dean asked.

Marion sighed deeply. She wasn’t here to deal with her brothers, and Raphael’s followers were likely falling in droves in Heaven right now.

“ _I can handle this for you, if you wish_.” Michael offered.

“You’ll give me control back, right?” Marion whispered.

“ _Of course_.”

Marion’s eyes went blue and Dean took a defensive stance.

“No need for that, Dean. You aren’t our target. We’re here for Castiel.”

“Yeah. That’s what Marion needs help with. What’s she helpin’ you with?” Bobby asked.

“We needed… transportation. We spent so much time stuck… talking. We decided that we were pawns, that we didn’t need to fight. I convinced him that you humans are good additions to the Earth and he convinced me that God didn’t want us to fight. That was Zachariah and the administrative archangels who wanted it. We found a truce, and brotherly bonding occurred.”

Sam’s eyes widened as he realized who was speaking. “She said ‘yes’ to you? How did she pull you out?”

“We marked her soul as our own. We attached to her and she pulled us out.”

Dean cleared his throat. “Please tell me that both of my siblings didn’t let Satan out of his box.”

Michael smirked. “If you want us to stand around talking, we can do that, Dean. But your twin is holding two archangels within her and the power is destroying her. She’s being torn apart. We need to locate a few demons in order to slow the process long enough to fell this false God and find new vessels for us.”

“Demons?” Dean asked, gruffly.

“Yes. Your sister has taken quite a liking to demon blood. That’s a good thing, considering it’s what is keeping her alive.”

“Is Lucifer in there?” Sam asked meekly.

Michael smiled and then flew out of the room.

“She let them out of the Cage? Are you shittin’ me? What an idjit!”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion felt bad as she took control back from Michael. She wished she could talk to them and explain. But she was in pain, not just from the power inside her trying to burst out but the hunger she was feeling. Michael had procured a bottle of demon blood for her before he disappeared to the back of her mind.

“ _Are you sure you want him dead? He’s going to clean up the corruption in Heaven. Corruption that’s been there as long as I’ve been gone from Heaven._ ”

“He needs to be stopped, Luce. He’s not God. And it’s an affront every moment he spends walking around claiming he is. Just let me drink and we’ll move on.”

“It’s not your job to stop him.”

Marion turned to Chuck, who was leaning against the alley wall. “You know, I don’t often flat-out tell someone not to do a thing. I gave Moses those 6 commandments all those years ago and I haven’t really tried since he added 4 of his own. But you… I warned you. I told you exactly how badly this would turn and you ignored me.”

“Chuck…” Marion started, but Chuck interrupted.

“I think you should call me ‘God’ today. Or ‘my Lord’, or ‘sir’, something that shows reverence for the being who could have written you out of this world as soon as I realized what you would do here. You have let two angels mark your soul and you don’t even know what that means!”

Chuck watched, unfazed, while Marion’s body jerked violently as both angels tried for control. “Hello, Michael. Hello, Lucifer.”

“So, this is what it takes to get you speaking to someone other than Joshua? Marking your favorite monkey? Your favorite anomaly?” Lucifer spat out, angrily.

“You are not meant to be here. I will leave you in the ether with no hope for a vessel if you do not leave her.”

“We have nowhere to go. Father, please. We will refrain from killing Brother Castiel, we’ll let him do his work, but until we find suitable vessels, we cannot leave her.” Michael begged.

“You have a suitable vessel, Michael, but it’s only suitable for one. Lucifer will need to leave.”

“No! I found her. I befriended her. I convinced her to say ‘yes’. If anyone deserves this Winchester, it is me. But she can handle the two of us awhile longer, Father. We will both find new vessels and move on.”

Chuck looked at them with a bit of amusement. “You seem to think that because you convinced these Winchesters to free you , that you have earned the right to walk my Earth. You have not been pardoned, Lucifer. You worked against me. You tried to overthrow me. You, in your vast and infinite pride, thought you could do better than me. You were placed in that Cage as punishment.”

“For doing exactly what Castiel is doing now! You punish Luci for thousands of years for trying to prove himself like to you, but Castiel calls himself the New God and you’re not going to let us stop him?!” Marion cried.

“Castiel’s end is already in progress. It is a slow and agonizing end that will come by his own hand, with a bit of help from the better Winchesters. I cannot allow you to swoop in and change what I have written for him. His end will be the beginning of a redemption and I can’t let you come between that. You have 48 hours to find vessels or I will rip you from her.” Chuck warned before disappearing.

Marion fell to the hard concrete and gravel beneath her and hung her head. She kept getting played for a fool by these damn angels. None of them gave a damn. No one cared.

“You called me a monkey. Just like Uriel.” She whispered, sadly.

“ _Marion, I didn’t mean…_ ”

“Don’t. You’ve never lied to me before. Manipulated, yes, but you’ve never lied. Why start now?” She ordered, standing. “Let’s just go find someone else for you to manipulate into giving you control.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion walked into Bobby’s salvage yard and cleared her throat. Dean turned around and gasped. “Marion!”

The relieved look on his face turned cold and he remembered his anger. “It’s been weeks. I thought you exploded.”

She shook her head and quietly replied. “No such luck, Dean.”

Dean looked her up and down before turning back to the Impala’s engine. “You don’t look strung out on demon blood. They still in there?”

“No, they aren’t. They found other vessels… who promptly exploded as soon as they became possessed. It takes a lot of power to hold an archangel.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t know. Never been dumb enough to say ‘yes’ to one, let alone two.”

“You almost did once.” Marion mumbled, leaning against the frame. “You have to understand. What Castiel did, what he’s still doing… I had to do what I could to stop it.”

“Yeah? So, why’s Cas still killing charlatans?”

“Dean, if God hadn’t come to me and told me to stop, that the ending God had written for Castiel was a just and horrible ending. I would have killed him. But God ordered me to stop. And I had to listen this time.”

“Okay, then, let’s talk about that. When did you become this family’s Joshua?” Dean called over his shoulder.

“You mean, when did God start talking to me? He revealed himself right before you crashed Michael and Lucifer’s big fight.” She said, anticipating his next move and handing him a wrench.

“Well, why you?”

“Dean, if He wanted you to know Him, he would have revealed himself to you. But he didn’t."

Dean turned around and leaned on the engine, knowing it was futile to press her for more. “So… God tell you how Cas is gonna bite it?”

“No. Just said that he’s gonna end by his own hand… with help from ‘the better Winchesters’.” Marion said.

“God called us the ‘better Winchesters’? That’s a bit… rude.” Dean wiped at his hands with a rag. “So, what are you doing here, Mare?”

“I have nowhere else to go.”

“So, what do you want, a welcome home party? You want a parade, a banner for coming home for 5 minutes?”

“Dean.”

“No. You’ve been gone our whole lives and you would think that you’d actually want to be around your family, but you have taken every chance to disappear. You lied to me, you got yourself hopped up on demon blood, you run away. You are just like Sammy. Except Sam let Lucifer out of Hell on accident, not because he wanted to put his ex down. Sam didn’t let a couple archangels mark his soul (something Bobby can’t find any info on, by the way). Everything you’ve done… it’s like you’re trying to one-up Sam on all of his worst decisions.

He abandons us for college, you abandoned us for college, but you decide to let me think you’re dead the whole time. Sam fucks around with somebody and it ends in disaster, you fuck around with an angel that God told you to back off from, it ends in disaster and you almost start a fight to rival Armageddon. Sam says ‘yes’ to Lucifer, you say ‘yes’ to Lucifer and Michael. How can I trust you, Marion?”

The intense stare Dean bore into her with made her uncomfortable so she looked down at her feet. “I’m not the only one who has made mistakes, Dean. If you hadn’t been so busy letting Crowley dick you around, you’d have been able to see what Castiel was up to.”

“Or you could’ve told me. I wouldn’t have had to figure it out myself.”

“Nothing I do is right, Dean. And I’m sure not going to be the one to tell you that your best friend has been betraying you. It hurt me enough just knowing it. You’re right, though. I have fucked up, royally. And I’d probably be dead if Chuck hadn’t saved me from Lucifer and Michael. But how much would you care? I can leave, Dean. I can go start over somewhere away from here and not bother you again. Maybe call you on our birthday every year. I could do that. Say the word.”

Marion looked up and caught Dean’s uncomfortable stare. “Tell me, truthfully, that you don’t want me around anymore and you can go back to pretending I don’t exist.”

Dean looked away this time. “I don’t know, Mare. Maybe… maybe it would be better if you left. It was a lot easier when it was just me and Sammy. No you, no Cas.”

“If you send that girl away, you’ll never forgive yourself, Dean.” Bobby said, walking up with a beer.

“Hi, Bobby.” Marion muttered.

Bobby nodded to her. “Not just ‘cause she’s yer sister, either, Dean, but because you don’t know if her actions an’ decisions were directly influenced by your memories. She was different before. Now, she’s more hunter and that’s yer fault. You gonna send her away because she made some rash decisions? She’s got 30 years of screw-ups that she never got to make. She’s just makin’ up fer lost time.”

“Bobby, how can we trust her?”

“Can you trust yerself? Trust Sam? Then you can trust her. She’s a good midpoint between yer stupid and Sam’s stupid. Give her another shot.”

Dean sighed. “She’s much closer to Sam’s stupid.”

“No, ‘cause you ain’t ever made a bad decision. You ain’t ever sold yer soul to fix somethin’ or tried to say ‘yes’ to an archangel. Just think about it, ya idjit.”

“I guess we’re all screwed up.” Marion whispered.

“Yeah. Guess so. Welcome home.” Dean said, slamming the hood and walking toward the house.

“I don’t think he would have let me stay if you hadn’t come out here.”

“And he’d regret it.”

“Thank you, Bobby.”

Bobby shrugged. “No problem.”


	14. I see the light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion's trying to keep herself controlled, make up for her transgressions.

Marion sat on the floor of the basement, praying. She’d been trying to get some sort of response from Chuck since he’d pulled Michael and Lucifer out of her. Nothing had answered.

“She’s a danger, Bobby.”

“Do you really want her off by herself when this whole ‘marked soul’ thing blows up in her face? Last time she was off by herself, she got messed up with Satan. How ‘bout, fer once, you act like ya give a damn ‘bout her and we figure out what’s gonna happen to her soul.”

“How the Hell do you expect to do that, Bobby? We don’t have an angel on the inside anymore and none of your books know what she got herself into.”

“We’ll figure it out, Dean.” Sam said.

“Of course.” Dean responded, cynically.

Marion closed her eyes and blocked it out, concentrating on falling asleep. She found herself in the darkness she’d become familiar with. “Lucifer! Where are you?!”

“Didn’t expect you to crawl back so soon.” He quipped, appearing in front of her.

“I’m not crawling. I’ve gotten over my anger and I’ve gotten over the feeling of inadequacy and loneliness that drove me to believe you were a friend to me, Lucifer. I’m here for information. God seemed… upset that you marked my soul. What does it mean, that you marked me?”

Lucifer smirked. “I was wondering when you’d get around to that question. See, the marking system is something God put into effect when he decided he’d be leaving Heaven. Just in case Heaven ran low on angels. He only made a certain number but he left us with the ability to recruit more, if needed. The marking system is a, sort of, involuntary enlistment as a soldier for Heaven.”

“You drafted me?! You drafted me into being an angel?”

“Yeah. Pretty much. But, hey, you got drafted by two Generals. Archangels breed archangels, so you’ll be, pretty much, left alone as an angel. Maybe you could even stay with your brothers, if your brain survives the reprogramming process.”

“Reprogramming? Like brainwashing?”

“Of course. How else do you think Heaven keeps perfect, unquestioning soldiers? You’ll learn all about it soon, Marion.”

“You told me you aren’t evil, but you must be.”

“I hate humans, Marion. But I like you. The time I spent with you and in you…” He gave a lecherous smirk. “…was some of the best moments I‘ve had in years. I really do think you are amazing, so I have no problem making you into something better than human.”

“How do I un-mark my soul?”

“You can’t. You consented to be marked… twice.”

“In return for a revenge that I never got to exact! That’s not fair!”

“I’m Satan, sweetheart. No one’s ever said my deals are fair. Usually quite the opposite.”

“How long do I have?”

“I’m not sure, actually. However long it takes for the grace to build up in your system. A couple months, a year at the most.”

“A couple months, then I get beamed up to Heaven and reprogrammed? Great. Thanks for telling me before-hand. I’d like to wake up now.”

“When you’re one of us, you’ll see things differently. I promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion woke up on the floor of the panic room. Silence engulfed her as she debated telling her brothers what the markings meant. She put that behind her as she heard shouting in the basement outside her door.

“My new boss is gonna kill me for even talking to you lads.” An unmistakable British voice came through as Marion sneaked up to the heavy door.

“Well, you’re lucky we’re not stabbing you in your skuzzy face, you little piece…” Dean started.

“Whoa, wait! What new boss?” Sam interrupted.

“Castiel, you giraffe!”

“Is your new boss?” Bobby asked.

“Is everybody’s boss. What do you think he’s going to do if he finds out we’ve been conspiring? You do want to conspire, don’t you?”

“No. We want you to just stand there an’ look pretty.” Bobby responded.

“Listening.”

“We need a spell to bind Death.” Dean said.

“Bind? Enslave Death? You havin’ a laugh?”

“Lucifer did it.”

“That’s Lucifer.”

“A spell’s a spell.” Sam interjected.

“You really believe you can handle that kind of horsepower? You’re delusional!”

“Death is the only player on the board left that has the kind of juice to take Cas.” Dean said.

“They’ll both mash us like peas. Why should I help with a suicide mission?”

“Look! Do you really want Cas running the universe?” Bobby asked.

Marion opened the panic room door as Crowley poured a drink. “This is a horrible idea.”

“Ah. The fairer Winchester.” Crowley gave an exaggerated bow, dripping some of his scotch on the ground. “I take it you’re against us putting down yer lover-boy.”

“He never really was my lover, we both know that, Crowley. You really must be a lady’s man when you aren’t busy being an unbelievably evil bastard.” Crowley looked pleased with himself at the statement. “And you seem to be a bit behind on your Winchester news.”

“Oh, am I?”

“Yeah. You missed the part where I went nuts with rage and allowed myself to be possessed by two archangels so that I’d have the power to run Castiel down and end him.” Crowley smiled a bit, looking her up and down. “Woulda done, too, if God, the real God, hadn’t stopped me and sent my angels back. So, no, I don’t think this is a bad idea because it ends with Castiel getting what he deserves. I think it’s a bad idea because you don’t fuck with Death. What did he do when Lucifer bound him? He made sure that Lucifer didn’t last much longer. ‘Mashed like peas’ is the best-case scenario.”

“Look, I appreciate your concern, but this is what we’ve got to do. Death is the only one who can take him and he isn’t going to help us just to help. This is our only option.”

“Dean, his ending is coming. By his own hand, not Death’s hand.”

“With help from the better Winchesters, remember? Well, the better Winchesters are going through with this. You can hang back if you want. Crowley, can you get the spell, or not?”

Crowley set the glass down and nodded. “Of course, I can. ‘Better Winchesters’, huh? A bit rude. That yer prophet’s words?”

“Just go, Crowley.” Sam ordered.

Marion headed back toward the basement. “I wish you luck. I’ll be praying for you idiots. Try not to die.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat on the cot in the panic room and prayed for the safety of her brothers and forgiveness for her sins. A small woosh behind her gave her a second of hope that maybe Chuck was taking pity on her. But when she turned around, she reflexively swallowed. The wrong God was standing before her.

“You weren’t there. You’ve been here praying to the old God for hours, while your brothers were tethering Death in an attempt to kill me. Why? Are you frightened of me, now? Where is your possessor, who gave you so much strength?”

“They are gone.” She said, calmly standing. “They found other vessels, but they couldn’t be contained. The poor things exploded. Unfortunately for my possessors, they were unable to find suitable vessels before Our Father’s deadline. They were ripped from me, likely sent back to their Cage.”

Castiel’s face barely showed his surprise, but she knew he was baffled. “You had… Lucifer and Michael housed within you? Two of Heaven’s most powerful archangels? Perhaps I should have chosen you for a vessel.”

Marion nodded and smiled, softly. “Maybe, but unfortunately for you, I will never say ‘yes’ to a possession again.”

“I may not need you to.” He said, matter-of-factly. “I’m no longer an angel. Those rules may not apply to me any longer.”

Suddenly, Marion felt defiant. “Go ahead and try, Castiel, because the true God couldn’t control me, sweetheart. All those monster souls might make you strong enough to pretend omnipotence but he created you and all those creatures you stole from Purgatory, so… how can you think you’re better than him?”

“He failed. He failed us and left us. I am better than him. I am stronger.”

“Of course, you are, Castiel. Then, tell me, God, why is your vessel wearing so thin? The true God’s vessels never betrayed his true power. Why can’t you keep poor Jimmy Novak from burning to pieces?”

“He will last long enough.” He said, before disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat at Bobby’s desk, half drunk on Bobby’s whiskey. She could feel those old familiar feelings of rage welling up within her, and pride at talking down to such a powerful creature. She promised herself she’d pray it away later.

“So, Castiel crashed your party.” She said, as the guys walked in.

“How’d you know that?” Bobby asked, grabbing the bottle off the desk as he walked toward the kitchen.

“He told me. I was praying, he showed up to call me a coward for not being there when you tried to kill him.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Sam. He won’t kill us. However corrupted or lost he may be, he’s still Castiel and we’re still his Winchesters.”

“Are you kidding me? He broke Sam, he called me an ant and said he’d crush me. Tortured Dr. Visyak. Killed hundreds of people. He’s not Cas, anymore.”

Marion tried her hardest not to speak down to her brother as she said, “Dean, he just walked in on you tethering Death to kill him and you’re still alive. That speaks volumes. Our Castiel is still in there. He’s just gotten so carried away with fixing things and now the power has him. You don’t know the power he’s got, Dean, how that brings out things inside that you never knew existed. We just have to get that power away from him and he’ll go back to being Castiel.”

“Well, Death, apparently, hates Cas pretending to be God more than he hates us trying to bind him, so he’s helping us out with that. Another eclipse tomorrow morning, we just gotta get Cas back to the lab. No clue how, but that’s the plan.” Sam said.

Dean walked into the kitchen and grabbed the whiskey.

“You want some coffee with that?” Sam asked, following him.

“It’s 6pm somewhere.” Dean responded as Marion went to sit on the stairs.

“Come on. We gotta hit the road. I mean, how are we supposed to get Cas to that lab by friggin’ 3:59am?”

“We don’t.”

“What do you mean, ‘we don’t’.”

“I mean, we can’t bring the horse to water, and we can’t make it drink. Why fool ourselves?”

“Dean, look, I know you think that Cas is gone-”

“It’s ‘cause he is.”

“No, Dean. What Marion said in there makes sense. We should be dead, Dean.”

“She’s drunk and telling herself fairy tales again. But Prince Charming turned out to be Maleficent in disguise, and now there’s no way to slay the dragon.”

“Maleficent wasn’t Rapunzel, it was Sleeping Beauty… and Disney, Dean. But Cas isn’t a dragon, he’s in there somewhere, Dean. I know it.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No, I don’t. But look, I was pretty far gone sometimes myself. And Marion said ‘yes’ to Lucifer and Michael, almost exploded trying to take Cas down, but you never gave up on us.”

“Yeah, and it turns out you’re about the same open book as you’ve always been. Hallucinations? Really? I got to find out from Death?”

Marion perked up a bit to listen better at the mention of hallucinations. It had to have something to do with the torture he’d endured.

“What was I supposed to do?”

“How about not lie? How about tell me that you’ve got crazy crap climbing those walls?”

“Why? You can’t help.” Marion smiled bitterly. It was just how she felt about her problem. “You got a lot of pretty severe crap swinging your way lately and… and I thought…what? I thought ‘why burst the one good bubble you had left? It’s under control.”

“What? What, exactly, is under control?”

“I know what’s real and what’s not.”

“Sam-”

“Dean, look, we can debate this once we deal with Cas.”

“Yeah, you know how I’m gonna deal? I’m gonna stuff my piehole, I’m gonna drink, and I’m gonna watch some Asian cartoon porn and act like the world’s about to explode, because it is.

Hey. You got to be kidding me. ‘Massacre at the campaign office of an incumbent Senator by a trench-coated man.’ There’s security footage.” A second of silence. “Well, I think reaching Cas is, uh… out of the cards.”

Marion looked at her feet as Sam walked out of Bobby’s house and listened as high-pitched Japanese voices started coming out of the kitchen. A small woosh behind her made her turn. Chuck sat on the stairs above her.

“Dean!” Sam cried from outside. Chuck looked down, slightly.

“It’s Castiel, isn’t it? He’s come to… rectify his mistakes.” Marion whispered. Chuck nodded sadly. “And you’re still going to end him, anyway?”

“This end has been coming since he took the souls from Purgatory. Death told your brothers about them but you missed out on the lesson. Leviathans. I made them as an experiment. Before I realized that the perfect creature had to be more than fierce and invulnerable, before I made Adam. The Leviathans were put in Purgatory so that they couldn’t harm anyone. Castiel took them into himself and they are stronger than he is. They are tearing his body and his psyche. And even though he is remorseful and regrets his poor choices, he must end.”

“To rid us of the leviathans?”

Chuck shook his head. “No. They are here. He needs to end for the new beginning.” Chuck put a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m telling you this because you have a choice now. You can stay here, hold onto your anger, your rightful anger, or you can go. You can watch him, full of remorse and sadness, die because of his poor choices. And you will mourn him.”

“I would mourn him anyway. If I don’t go, I would be unable to live with myself. You know me, Lord. You may not have written me, but you know me. I can’t stay angry. Especially knowing… that I’ll be no better than Castiel soon enough. And not ‘friendly, loyal, defy Heaven to do what’s right’ Castiel, either. I’m gonna be ‘mindless soldier of Heaven doing what I’m programmed to do’ Castiel. ‘Accept the lies because they told me to’ Castiel.” Marion shook her head and closed her eyes.

“At least, then there will be two angels in Heaven that I can trust.”

“There is nothing you can do to fix it?” She asked, opening her eyes against the despair.

“The mark system was created to replenish Heaven’s ranks if I were ever to disappear indefinitely. I didn’t put an opt-out clause in it because I wouldn’t be here to invoke it. I’m sorry… so are you going to tell them?”

Suddenly, the scene around them changed and they were outside watching Dean and Sam carry Castiel to the Impala in slow motion. “Or are you going to try to hide it as the grace inside you wells up and you become an angel?”

“It’ll have to be the latter. Like Sam said, they can’t do anything to stop it. You can’t even stop it. Why worry them for nothing?”

Chuck nodded and stood, the scene reverting back to the staircase. “The Leviathans are very dangerous. You can’t kill them. They were made to be invulnerable. They can kill themselves and kill each other, but you cannot kill them. They will eat this Earth if you don’t stop them, though.”

“No pressure, then.” She said, standing as well.

“Your best asset is the fact that no one here knows you. Castiel doesn’t know you any better than Dean does. The Leviathans are going to know everything about Dean and Sam. Not you. They won’t be expecting anything you come up with on your own. Your disconnect from your brothers is your best chance here.”

“You’re telling me to leave them again.”

“I’ve learned better than to try to tell you to do anything, Marion.” Chuck said with a smile, before disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat in the back seat as Dean sped toward the lab. She tried not to look at Castiel, afraid she’d betray the hidden knowledge Chuck had given her.

“Marion.” Castiel whispered.

“Don’t.” She responded as Dean pulled toward the lab.

“I have… a question. How did you pull and hold Michael and Lucifer? Did… did they mark you?” Castiel asked, his voice pained.

Marion didn’t answer, so Sam did. “Yeah. They did. Do you know what that means?”

“It’s not important right now, Sam. Let’s get him inside.” Marion cut the conversation off, pushing forward to get out of the car.

She pulled Castiel into the lab, with help from Dean. “I feel remorse… for how I treated you, Marion.”

“I understand. You made a series of poor decisions. Me, too. When you have free will, you are bound to make a few. Guess I won’t have to worry about that much longer.” She whispered as Dean walked away.

“You know, then?” Cas whispered back.

Marion nodded. “Lucifer told me… after he got sent back. After it was already done. Poor decisions. I feel remorse, too.”

“You won’t tell them?”

“No. They can’t stop it.”

“Perhaps… God.”

Marion shook her head, sadly. “It’s not important. Not right now. Just… tell Dean how you’re feeling. I’m sure I’m not the only one you’re feeling remorse toward. And you might not get another shot at fixing this.” She said, before walking away.

“Marion… if this thing goes South…” Bobby started, in a low voice.

“It will, Bobby.”

“What?”

“We’re Winchesters. When do things ever go right for us? And when have we ever known God to be just?”

“You still think God is gonna end him?”

“Look around, Bobby. Castiel came to us and had us bring him here. That takes care of the ‘by his own hand’ part… and here are the ‘better Winchesters’ running to help him rid himself of the souls. The souls providing him with the power and the power is the only reason the Leviathans haven’t ripped him apart. I’m prepared for the worst, Bobby. So should you be.” Marion whispered as Sam ran out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion stood aside as Bobby spoke the words in Latin that would open the portal and kill Castiel. She didn’t want them to see how distraught she was. Dean rushed forward as Castiel’s legs seemed to fail him. He pulled back once his friend was standing and a tear escaped Marion’s eye as the portal began to open and Cas turned to them.

“I’m sorry, Dean.”

The light was blinding as the souls escaped back into Purgatory. Marion refused to look as Castiel fell to the floor. She knew it wasn’t going to be good. Dean and Bobby rushed to his side.

“He’s cold.” Bobby said.

“Is he breathing?”

“No.”

“Maybe angels don’t need to breath.”

“He’s gone, Dean.”

There was a moment of silence and a sigh, followed by “Damn it!” Marion saw them stand, sadly, out of her peripheral view. “Cas, you child! Why didn’t you listen to me?”

Marion’s eyes snapped toward them when she heard a pained gasp.

“Cas?! Hey, hey!”

She rushed over to his side, hopeful that Chuck had just been fucking with her.

“That was unpleasant.” The three hunters helped the angel to his feet and he looked around slightly confused. “I’m alive.”

“Looks like.” Bobby said, amazed.

Marion tried blinking the happy tears away, but lost the battle and just wiped at them.

“I’m astonished. Thank you, all of you.”

“We were mostly… just tryin’ to save the world.” Bobby replied a bit sheepishly.

“I’m ashamed. I really overreached.”

“You think?” Dean said as Marion said “That’s an understatement.”

“I’m gonna find some way to redeem myself to you.”

“All right, well, one thing at a time. Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Come on.”

“I mean it, Dean.” Castiel stopped them from walking out.

“Okay. All right. But let’s go find Sam, okay?” Dean tried to pull the angel along. Marion could tell something wasn’t right and realized that God hadn’t spared her. This was just the situation Chuck had told her about. Castiel, full of remorse, and he’s about to die. She pulled away from the group.

Sure enough, Cas pushed Dean and Bobby forward, yelling “You need to run, now! I can‘t hold them back!”

“Hold who back?!” Dean demanded. But Marion knew.

“They held on inside me. Dean, they’re so strong.”

“Who the hell-” Bobby started.

“Leviathan!” Bobby and Dean looked between each other but Marion started for the exit. “I can’t fight them. Run!”

“Go! Go get Sam! Go get Sam!” Dean yelled as Bobby followed behind Marion.

“Too late!” A giddy voice that sounded like Castiel’s made Marion and Bobby turn.

“Cas?”

“Cas is… he’s gone. He’s dead. We run the show now.” The creature said, before throwing Dean across the room.

Marion moved quickly down the hall, thinking of Sam and hoping Dean and Bobby could hold their own.


	15. Five-one-five-oh

Marion flagged down Dean and Bobby as they ran out of the lab. “Found him. He’s not responding.”

Dean ran forward and got in Sam’s face. “Sam! You hearing me?” Dean placed a hand on his brother’s chest. Sam looked around, fear evident in his features. “Whoa. Look at me. Hey. All right, we gotta button this up. Come on, let’s get out of here. Come on.”

Marion followed slowly. She didn’t want to follow, at all. She didn’t want to see Jimmy Novak pulled apart. She knew Castiel was gone. She knew that his last act had been one of redemption. Why should she have to see the vessel that she’d come to identify as Castiel broken by the Leviathans? She made it to the water just as the Leviathans went under. She watched as they became a whirlpool of black sludge and Jimmy Novak disappeared.

“Aw, hell.” Bobby said, bringing attention to the fact that the Leviathans had let themselves loose into the public water reservoir.

“Damn it!” Dean said.

“You said it. Those… whatever you call ‘ems…” Bobby started.

“Leviathan.” Sam provided.

“Right. If they’re in the pipes, they got themselves a highway to anywhere.”

“Awesome.” Dean said, bitterly, before reaching down to pull Castiel’s trench coat out of the water. “Okay. So, he’s gone.” He said, looking around at his family. Marion was still staring at the water.

“Yeah. Rest in peace. If that’s in the cards.” Bobby offered.

Dean folded the coat, roughly, and looked down at it, sadly. “Dumb son of a bitch.”

“Well, he was friends with us, wasn’t he? Can’t get much dumber than that. Come on. Those things’ll be coming up for air soon.” Bobby said, putting a hand on Marion’s shoulder. Sam and Dean got in the Impala, but Marion just stared.

“I thought… I thought I was prepared. I knew it was gonna… Bobby, he’s dead.” She whispered, the tears that had been resting at the edges of her eyes finally taking their plunge.

“Come on, girl. We gotta go. Cry on the way.” Bobby said, before pushing her toward the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion sat at the kitchen table, an untouched coffee mug sitting in front of her. She couldn’t say how long she’d actually been sitting there, but Sam had been passed out on the couch for several hours now and she could tell the light had changed. Bobby picked up her mug and put it in the microwave.

“You ain’t moved in 3 hours.” Bobby said, setting the mug back down in front of her.

Marion blinked rapidly, picking up the mug and giving a weak smile. “Sorry.” She whispered.

“Don’t be sorry. Talk to me.”

“I don’t know, Bobby. He… I never should’ve fallen for him. It would have solved all of this… emotional issue. If I had just, just listened to God.”

“Girl… he was a dumb son of a bitch. That he ever let you go is a sign of that. Now, it’s time to move on. Those Leviathans are going to eat the world. We need you in the game.”

“I am. I’ve got… I can’t stay here, Bobby. Everything’s about to-”

“You’re skipping out again?” Dean asked, walking into the kitchen.

“I have to, Dean, in order to stay an asset. These Leviathans are bad.”

“Sam is breaking down. Cas is gone. Leviathans are gonna eat us all, and you, you gotta leave again.”

“I’m not doing this on purpose, Dean! For once, though, I’m gonna listen to God. He said I can do more good away. You don’t know me. Castiel didn’t know me. So, the Leviathans won’t either. The thing I’ve been bitching about for years is an actual asset. I’m not just leaving, but… I have to leave.”

“That’s just great.” Dean said. “Me and Bobby got to deal with Sammy all by ourselves.”

Marion looked down at her coffee. “Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems, with him. We’ve come back from a lot worse.”

“But what if it is as bad as it seems? What if he ends up in a nuthouse with Martin, scared of his shadow? What if we can’t fix him this time?”

“Look. I’m sorry. If you have to Baker Act him, I will be here for you, but I will be no use if I stay.”

“When?”

“After Sam wakes up and we analyze his damage.”

“You call. When you leave, you keep in touch.”

“I won’t. But I’ll email. And I’ll keep a cell active for emergencies.”

Dean sat at the table. “Damn.”

Marion reached over and patted Dean’s hand. “I’m sorry.”

“I get it. It sucks… but I get it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion stood back as Dean woke Sam up. Sam jumped awake.

“Whoa. That’s twelve hours straight. I’m calling that rested. Here. Hydrate and, uh, protein-ate.”

Sam took the bottle of water and protein bar he was offered. “Breakfast in bed.”

“Don’t get used to it. Let me see that hand.” Dean said, unraveling the bandage on his hand and giving the stitches a once-over. “Eh, you’ll live. Here.”

Sam sucked in a hissing breath as Dean poured whiskey over the wound. “All right. Take it easy.”

“So. Ooze invasion. Any leads?” Sam asked. Marion was watching his eyes. His eyes kept flicking over to the kitchen.

“I got my feelers out.” Bobby said, walking over with a new bandage. “Whatever they’re up to, it ain’t- ain’t about going Mothra down Main Street. They’ll turn up. You seem pretty eager to stretch your legs, you know.”

Sam made a sound of agreement.

“Now, onto our other big problem. How’re you doin’? And do not say okay.” Dean ordered.

“I’m not okay.” Sam admitted.

“Ya think?” Dean snapped.

“Hey. Go a little easy.”

“There’s nothing easy about it, Bobby, okay. We acted like he had everything under control.”

“I get it. I’m sorry.” Sam said. “Look, I-I didn’t exactly want to crack up, you know?”

“What the hell happened back there?” Dean demanded.

“Well, it’s not just flashbacks anymore.”

“Well, then, what?” Marion asked.

“It’s more like… I’m seeing through the cracks.”

“What does that mean?” Dean growled.

“It means, I’m having a difficult time figuring out what’s real.”

“Hallucinations.”

“For starters.” Sam admitted.

“Well, for starters, if you’re tripping Hell’s Bells, why would you hide that?”

“I wasn’t hiding it, Dean, I- I was just not talking about it. I mean, it seemed like you three had enough going on as it was. Look, I- I just figured, try to hold onto the safety bar and ride it out, you know? But it’s getting more specific.”

“As in specifically, what?” Dean asked.

Marion watched Sam’s eyes dart toward the kitchen again, and it dawned on her. “He’s seeing Lucifer.” Dean and Bobby looked her way, but Sam’s eyes cast downward in shame. “He keeps looking over toward the kitchen, then looking back, like he’s hoping he won’t be seen. He is definitely seeing something. So, what’s he saying, Sammy?”

“He says you’re too smart to be a Winchester.”

“That’s nice, but what was he saying at the lab? What had your head all fucky, there?” She pushed.

“He says that none of this is real, that I’m still in the Cage and this is all an illusion. He said, I never made it out of Hell.”

As Sam tried to hold back his tears, the reality of the problem hit the group. Dean grabbed the bottle of whisky and two glasses. He offered one to Marion, intent on drinking from the bottle, but Marion shook her head. She could prove it was fake. She knew things about Lucifer, things Sam’s hallucination couldn’t know, but that would mean telling her family what she’d done in her ill-conceived revenge attempt.

“What the hell, Sam?” Dean finally expressed.

“I told you.” Sam said, defeat in his voice.

“I mean, seriously, how do you, how do you even argue with that?”

“I know. It’s a problem.”

“Well, now wait, I got it. Why would the Devil holodeck you a whole new life when he could just kick your ass all over the Cage?”

“’Cause, as he puts it, ‘you can’t torture someone who has nothing left for you to take away’.”

“Okay, fine. But this Malibu dream mansion that he, he, he makes for you to take away is this post-apocalyptic mess?” Dean asked, gesturing broadly. Sam looked down, then over at the kitchen, again. “Wait. Are you seeing him right now?”

Sam nodded, sadly.

“You know that he’s not real. Right?”

“He says the same thing about you.” Sam responded, his voice trembling a bit.

Dean looked pointedly at Bobby, who took a deep breath and headed out of the room. “I’m goin’ back to work.”

Dean stared at Sam for a few moments before following Bobby. Marion moved to sit next to Sam. “Sam. He’s not real.” She whispered.

Sam shook his head. “I can’t know.” He whispered.

“Sam… ask him how he got me to trust him, how he pretended to care.”

He seemed to listen to an unheard voice before he sighed. “He says you have a thing for angels, so it was easy to trick you into thinking he was a better seraph than Cas.”

“See, Sam? That is the vaguest answer your brain could come up with. Because you don’t know, your brain cold read. It’s technically correct but as vague as a dime-store psychic. If you were really in the Pit, and he was really taunting you, he would’ve given details. He would’ve bragged. Don’t you see?”

Sam listened to the hallucination again. “He said you missed the people who took you, so he gave them back to you. And when Cas started treating you like you` were nothing, he filled that spot in your dreams.”

Marion shook her head. This wasn’t going to work. Sam had subconsciously paid a lot more attention to her than she had ever expected. The only way she could prove it would be to mention the marking ceremony, and she wasn’t going to do that.

“He isn’t there. We got you out. I got him out and I put him back. You aren’t in the Pit, anymore.”

Sam shook his head and Marion walked over to her twin. Sam pulled out his pistol and started to take it apart.

“So, what do you think? Martin-level crazy?” Dean asked.

Marion looked back at Sam. “I stand by what I said. If you have to completely 5150 him, I will come back. But look, he’s not freaking out. Yeah, he’s got the devil in his ear, but as long as he isn’t going Son of Sam on us, I think we will be all right.”

“That’s something I hadn’t even considered. Thanks.”

“I’m here for you, Dean.” She said, with a smirk.

Dean leaned over Bobby’s shoulder to watch him. “Well, at least he’s not curled up under the sink.” Bobby muttered.

“Yeah, no, he’s just sitting there silently field-stripping his weapon.” Dean tossed back, before walking to the other side of the kitchen table and pulling Sam’s phone out of his jacket pocket.

“What are you doing?” Marion whispered.

“Turning on his GPS, case he decides to fly the cuckoo’s nest.”

“And you? How are you doing?” Bobby asked.

“Seriously, Bobby, it ain’t like he’s hexed, you know?” Dean said, sitting on the edge of the table. “I mean, what if it’s the kind of crazy you can’t fix?”

“Yeah, I’m- I’m worried too, but humor me for a second. How are you?”

“Who cares? Don’t you think our mailbox is a little full right now? I’m fine.”

“Right. And weren’t you pissed at him when he said the same thing just a couple hours before he spilled his marbles all over the floor? Marion admitted she was having issues.” Bobby asked.

“Yeah, well.” Dean started, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I’m not Sam, okay? And I ain’t Marion. I keep my marbles in a lead friggin’ box. I’m fine. Really.”

“Of course. Yeah. You just lost one of the best friends you ever had, your brother’s in the bell jar, and Purgatory’s most wanted are surfin’ the sewer lines, but yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re- you’re fine.” Bobby said, sarcastically.

“Good.” Dean replied, hoping that Bobby would just drop it.

“Course, if at any time you want to decide that’s utter horse crap, well I’ll be where I always am. Right here.” Bobby finished, eliciting a grin from Marion.

“What, you want to do couples’ yoga, or you wanna get back to hunting the big bads?” Dean gave a small smile.

“Shut up. Idjit.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Dean showed back up from a pie run, Marion walked out with a heavy duffel bag. She looked at Dean, remorsefully.

“So, you’re leaving now?”

“There’s never gonna be a perfect time. Best to go now, while we’re in the eye of the storm.” She said, setting her bag in the back of an old Chevy truck.

Dean set his paper grocery bag on the hood of the Impala and sighed. “Guess that makes sense.”

Marion walked over and opened her arms for a hug. “Don’t get dead.”

“Can’t make any promises.” Dean wrapped his arms around his sister and kissed her forehead. “Pay attention to your email. Things go South with Sammy, I’m gonna hold you to coming back.”

“Once a week, it’s the best I can do.”

“This better not be the last time I see you.” Dean said, as she pulled away and headed to the truck.

A pang of guilt hit Marion as she climbed in behind the wheel. She was sure that she’d never be coming back. She didn’t think she’d ever see her brothers or Bobby again. But she smiled at Dean and hoped she was hiding it well.

“Dean, don’t die, okay?”

He nodded. “Keep in touch.”


	16. There and Back Again (A Hunter's Tale)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion has a good few months.

Marion was living in Chicago before the month was up. She thought Richard Roman was a Leviathan just based on his smile. As soon as she moved into a motel and paid for a month, she set out to get a job in the vicinity of Roman Enterprises Corporate headquarters.

After charming a coffee shop owner, Barbara Singer began working the counter at the one stop almost every employee at Roman Enterprises made daily, which is how she met a smiling redhead named Charlie.

“We both have boy names.” Charlie commented as she waited for her coffee.

“Oh. Yeah. We do. I mean, it’s Barbara, but… yeah.”

“Has anybody ever told you that you look exactly like I always pictured the elf queen, Galadriel?”

Marion giggled, her hand going to her bun. “Nope. Never been told that. That’s ‘Lord of the Rings’, right?”

“Oh, my god! You haven’t read them?”

“No. Haven’t had much time for reading, in the last few years. And my parents weren’t big on fantasy fiction.”

“If I bring you ‘Fellowship’, will you read it?” Charlie asked, excitedly.

“I’ve got nothing going on, but this job. I’d love to read an epic.”

“Scratch that. Hobbit. I’ll bring ‘There and Back Again’ first. If you like that, you’ll absorb ‘Fellowship’.”

Marion smiled. “Okay. You bring the book, I’ll read it.”

“Hold ya to it.” Charlie said, picking up her cup and walking away toward the Roman building.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Several weeks later, Marion had read all of the Tolkein books and the Silmarillion. Charlie came in every day, sometimes twice, to discuss the books and Middle Earth, between jokes and stories about the ‘Holy Roman Empire’.

On a Thursday afternoon, Charlie came in after work and asked ‘Bobbi’ to sit with her and have a cup of coffee. Marion took her break after charging Charlie for 2 kids size cocoas. She sat at the table and handed Charlie a venti mocha cappuccino.

“So, I did a little research on you. In today’s world, you can’t be too safe.”

“And you’re a techie, I understand.”

Charlie leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. “Bobbi, you have only existed for 2 years. I did a little more digging and actually found something, which means you didn’t have the Secret Service or the Marshals do it. Social Security changed your name and gave you a new number at your request. I Googled your old name and found some interesting articles in a newspaper in Lawrence, Kansas. About a girl held captive for 30 years.”

“Charlie, stop. Please.”

“’Barbara’ is an old lady name.” Charlie said, taking a sip of her coffee. “’Marion Winchester’, that’s as pretty as it is badass.”

“Don’t.” Marion urged, looking around to make sure none of Dick Roman’s lackey were in the shop.

“Look, I get running away, but why are you here? That creepy old woman left you millions.”

Marion took a deep breath and smoothed out her apron. “Yeah. But… I just wanted to live a normal life, ya know? Where my name doesn’t make people gasp and my face doesn’t elicit pity.”

“Well, I don’t much do pitying. So, you should come out with me sometime. We’ve already gotten the obligatory coffee date out of the way. And I need some friends with spending cash.”

“Oh, now I’m wary.” She said, with a smirk. “You researched deep into my net worth.”

“Nah. I’m just interested in your body.”

Marion blushed as Charlie laughed. “Thank God. That’s the reaction I was hoping for. I was scared you’d get angry. I read how God-fearing the people who took you were.”

“Well, Mister and Missus, they were no friends of the gay community, but I never really let myself get caught up in hate. The only time I’ve ever hated anyone was my ex, and I let that go before he… he died.”

“So… he?”

“Yeah. One of my twin brother’s friends. He was the first man to ever treat me well. And then, he didn’t. He went to war and he changed. He kept me around to have someone to come back to, but he stopped giving a damn. Started lying. By the end of our relationship, he’d betrayed me so much that I was literally begging God for his death. And then… he died.” Marion scoffed at herself.

“I barely had time to forgive him before he croaked.”

“Wow. Your life has been dark. Aren’t you glad I’m here to brighten it for ya?”

Marion smiled, as she stood. “I’d love a torch, Charlie.”

“Good. So, ‘Fellowship’ is playing at the dollar theatre. I buy the tickets, you buy the snacks?”

“I think I’m getting shafted here, but, okay.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

A month later, Charlie had convinced Marion to move out of the motel she’d been calling home. She had tracked down a large 1-bedroom apartment in a building not far from the Roman building. She brought nothing with her except her go-bag of clothes and weapons. Charlie had been more than happy to help her with the shopping. As they sat on her new plush brown loveseat, watching ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ on her new 65 inch LCD tv, Charlie laid her head on Marion’s shoulder.

“You should put in an application for the holy Roman Empire. We’ve got an opening as a receptionist for the second floor. You know, my floor. I’d get to see you more.”

“And you want that? You aren’t tired of me, yet?” Marion asked.

“Of course not. This is the longest relationship I’ve ever been in. Even if we haven’t had sex, yet.” Charlie said, cuddling closer.

“Well, are you sure this wouldn’t be too much of a good thing?” Working in the Leviathan’s Den was a scary prospect, but one that made sense in the long run. The closer she was, the more she could learn. She would be able to come up with a plan.

“I’m sure. I’m certain that I could move in here, see you all the time at home and I would still be happy to see you at work every day.”

“You want to move in?” Marion asked, surprised.

“No. Well, yes. Are you inviting me?” Charlie pulled away.

“I think that’d be great. Both. All of it. Move in with me. This is pretty much _our_ apartment, already. And I’m sick of the coffee shop. I’d rather work with you, Charlie.”

Charlie smiled. “Good. ‘Cause Barbara Singer has an interview with Roger Queen tomorrow, at 3.”

Marion leaned forward and quickly kissed the younger woman. “You are amazing, Charlie.”

“I know. That’s why you love me.”

“I do, Charlie, and some day soon. I will bring myself to physically show you how much I do love you… but…”

“Sex ruined your life last time. I get it. I’m a hacker, babe. I’ve got patience.” Charlie said.

“Why do you even like me, Charlie? I’m old and broken.”

“Yeah, but you’re hot, and rich. How could I ask for more?” Charlie joked, before cuddling back against Marion. The question was moot. Charlie didn’t think Marion was old or broken. Charlie thought she was perfect and well worth waiting for.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion learned the job quickly. She went by ‘Barbara’ so that her name wouldn’t make the Leviathans suspicious. And everyone thought she was just Charlie’s roommate. It was easier that way, and Charlie understood that Marion wasn’t exactly ready to ‘come out of the wardrobe’. At 5:30 on the second Friday of her working in the building, Charlie walked up to her desk, iPod in her hand and bag on her shoulder.

“Almost done?”

“No. I guess Debbie walked out or something, because no one’s seen her since before lunch and Roger dropped off all these files to be put away… and all these need to be typed and then put away.” She answered, pointing to 2 large stacks on her desk.

“Oh. That’s gonna take a while. You got time for a break? Haven’t seen you all day.”

Marion looked around at her desk. She was staring at 2 hours of paperwork, at least. “You know what? Definitely need a break.”

“Awesome.” Charlie said, putting her iPod in her bag and starting to walk away. Marion followed her, being led into a women’s restroom down the hall.

“And why am I spending my break in the bathroom?” She asked as Charlie hung her bag on a hook by the door and started to take off her jacket. “And why are you undressing?”

“2 women in the restroom won’t raise any flags. Most of our other second floor chicas are gone already, so, little chance of intrusion. And we’ve got chairs.” She said, pointing at the wicker loveseat in the corner.

“So, what? You wanna make out? Oh.” Marion asked, turning back around to see Charlie standing there in a white and red bra.

“Are those poke balls?” Marion asked, unbuttoning her suit jacket. She’d seen Charlie in her underwear, but this Charlie, this half-naked Queen of nerd culture standing in front of her, daring her to say it was too dangerous, well, that Charlie was a challenge. Looking down at this young woman, the Dean in her whispered, ‘ ** _Gotta love a challenge. Take it._** ’

“You propose to teach me about lesbian sex in the lavatory of the building where we both work? On the floor that we both work on and everybody knows us? Just start at it and hope for the best, then?” She asked, taking off her suit jacket.

“I figured if I added a bit of danger to it, you’d be enticed to play.”

“Oh, honey. You know me so well.” Marion said, grabbing the wicker love seat with one hand and pulling it toward the door. “But my brother always said, that my daddy always said… ‘hope for the best‘…” She said, pushing the seat right against the door.

“Prepare for the worst.” She said, kicking the seat so that it was wedged tightly against the door. Marion turned to the shirtless ginger behind her. She walked forward, wrapping her arms around Charlie and dipping her head down for a deep kiss. When she pulled away, Charlie’s bra came with her. Charlie smiled as Marion’s skirt hit the floor, the side zipper having been pulled down by Charlie’s deft hand. Marion slowly unbuttoned her blouse and pulled her bra off, throwing them on a sink.

“Are you ready?” Charlie asked, kissing along Marion’s shoulder and collarbone.

Marion cupped Charlie’s chin and made her look into her eyes. Charlie knew about Castiel, knew about the one time they had sex, about how Castiel had almost killed her and her brothers after that. She’d blamed drugs when she was telling the story. Marion hadn’t figured out a way to tell Charlie about Lucifer and Michael, so Charlie didn’t know how important this really was.

“I trust you with my heart, Charlie. I’m ready to trust you with my body.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Several months later, Marion came home from work, early for once, and saw Dean and Sam sitting in her living room. Her fingers found the deadbolt and flicked it closed before she walked to her brothers and pushed Dean’s boots off her coffee table. “Anyone see you on your way in?”

“This ain’t our first B&E, Marion.” Dean snapped.

“Why are you here? And how’d you find my apartment?” She asked. They hadn’t even emailed. She wasn’t going to pretend she was ecstatic to see them.

“Well, we were staking out Leviathan Central looking for someone and who do we see walking out of the building in a skirt suit, with a Roman Enterprises lanyard on?” Dean asked, before leaning forward. “How dumb can you be? And, of course, you’re using your same favorite pseudonym.”

“Dean, do you really think I ended up working for the leader of the Leviathans by accident? I knew Dick Roman was one of them from about a week after we separated. Who did _you_ think they’d go after?”

“The president?” Dean said with a shrug.

She shook her head. “This is about food, not power. As soon as Roman bought out BigGerson’s, I knew he was one of them. Taint the food supply.”

“You could’ve warned us. You know we eat at BigGerson’s.” Dean complained.

“Never crossed my mind. I can’t really stomach the place since seeing all those people engorge themselves to death with the whole Famine thing. Imagining Cas eating raw hamburger doesn’t help, either.” She gave a shudder of disgust, before bringing her attention back to Dean. “Did something happen at BigGerson’s?”

“Turducken.” Sam answered, succinctly.

“Say no more. So, why are you staking out the building? You can’t be thinking of taking the fight directly to Roman.”

“He’s got a hard drive. He stole it from this guy Bobby sent us to, Frank, who set us up with new identities, new phones, the whole nine. Frank was a paranoid bastard, so the drive is highly encrypted with a lojack that led us to Chicago. We think Roman probably has one of the techs working on it.”

“You heard about Bobby, right?” Dean asked as soon as Sam quieted.

Marion looked down. “Sheriff Mills sent me an email. You must‘ve forgotten to.” She said, quietly. “I sent her flowers for the gravestone. I know you guys burned him, but… felt right.”

Sam and Dean exchanged a look as Dean’s hand instinctively went to the flask in his jacket pocket. Marion cleared her throat. “Anyway. You are in luck. Roman is using a tech geek to open that drive, and the tech he chose happens to be my roommate, Charlie. She’s the best we have. The only problem is, Charlie thinks you’re dead. So, I need a few minutes to get her to understand.”

“Why does she think we’re dead?”

“Isn’t everyone supposed to think you’re dead, Dean? She’s a hacker, she’s always on the computer, she has alerts set up for anything to do with us. She saw you listed as deceased before we even caught it on the news.”

“We get it. You got some stuff to work out before we can talk to your roommate.” Sam said.

“Yeah. So, if you can just go wait in the bedroom, do not _touch_ anything, and wait until I call you. Charlie will be home any minute.” Marion said, walking over and opening the bedroom door.

Her brothers followed her into the room, and as she shut the door, Dean whispered, “Same bed.” Sam shushed him, as the deadbolt unlocked.

Charlie walked in with a package under her arm. She twisted the deadbolt back again and turned. “Your Galadriel costume came! We should go-”

Marion interrupted by grabbing the package and setting it on the table. “Later, Charlie. Look…” She sat on the couch and Charlie followed. “Do you remember when my brothers died and you got mad at me because I didn’t mourn them? Do you remember telling me I was in denial? What I said after that?”

“Yeah. You said that there are things about your past that you could never explain to me. Things you never wanted me to know about.”

Marion took a deep breath to steady herself and took Charlie’s hands in hers. “Unfortunately, babe, we’ve come to a point in time where I have to let you in on those things I didn’t want you to know. First being… that I didn’t mourn my brothers because they didn’t actually die. Guys!”

Marion studied Charlie’s face as Sam and Dean walked out of their bedroom. Fear and uncertainty flooded her features. “Char. They aren’t what they’ve been made out to be. They are good men. Heroes, even. And they’re here because they need out help.”

“Help? They’re criminals, and they’re dead. Dead criminals.” She squeaked.

“Not dead. And _not_ the kind of criminals they’ve been accused of being. Heck, Charlie, you’re a criminal, too. So, am I. But, we are in danger. You know how, sometimes, we joke that Dick Roman will eat us alive if we mess up? It’s not a joke. He’s a monster. Literally. He’s the leader of a group of monsters called Leviathans.” Charlie looked around, nervously. “Come on. You’re a smart woman. You can feel his predatory nature when he talks to you. In the back of your mind, you are scared of him and you don’t know why. This is why.”

“Okay. I believe you… because I opened that drive I told you about. I found the files, the research that guy had. I was gonna suggest an impromptu vacation and name change. So, what’s this have to do with your brothers?”

“Just… let me start at the beginning, okay? Me and my brothers, and our father before us, half of my mom’s side of the family… we’re hunters.”

“Like, Bambi?”

“Don’t act stupid, babe.” Marion ignored Dean mouthing ‘babe?’ to Sam.

“So, monsters? You’re a family of Van Helsings, then?”

“No. We’re the Winchesters. But to the things we hunt, we probably are the Van Helsings. We’re the best. The problem with being the best, though, is we get mixed up in a lot of horrible things. End of the world, at least once a year. That ex, Cas, he found his way to Purgatory and these things followed him back. That’s what killed him. The Leviathans drove him mad, made him attack us, and then they tore him apart.” Tears came to her eyes because of Cas, and she cursed herself for continuing to fudge the facts, but she needed Charlie to know and she needed it done as soon as possible.

“These things, they pull a ‘Bodysnatchers’, basically. They touch you, they become you, and then, usually, they eat you. They knew from Cas that we would try to take them out. Because that’s what we do. They came for us, got a feel for my brothers, but I was already gone. They didn’t know me. So, I stayed separated from my brothers, my Uncle Bobby, and came here because none of them would know me. I set up at the coffee shop to learn about Roman Enterprises, to try and identify which people weren’t people anymore. Followed the ones I knew were Leviathan. Try to figure out their plan. The job you got me, it allowed for better access, some bugs in various rooms. Do you want a guess at the plan?” She waited a second.

“They want to turn us into cattle, Char. Additives in the food, all the food Roman controls, to turn us into complacent, fat, happy, food. My brothers and I are trying to stop that. Roman wants them dead. He killed Bobby. If he knew who I was, I’d be dead. That drive has all of Dean and Sam’s information on it. Their new aliases, numbers, car tags, credit cards, everything that Roman needs to track down and end them, once and for all, all of Frank’s research. We need it wiped.”

“Okay, Marion. I think I can manage…”

“But that’s not all.” Sam said, leaning forward. “Roman is digging up the Earth, trying to find something. We need to know everything we can figure out about that.”

“The information would be on his email. You’re tech savvy. Think you could get it?” Dean asked.

Charlie pulled out her laptop and started clicking away. She looked up, sadly, a few moments later. “Dick’s email isn’t on the company server. It’s on a private one, in his office.”

“Meaning?” Dean asked.

“Can’t get in it unless you have his phone or you’re at his desk.”

“So, you’re saying that if we’re inside Dick’s office, then we can hack his email?” Dean asked.

“You can’t. Only someone like… I’d have to… but I’m not…”

“I’ll be with you. Okay? We’ve both got key cards. I will help you through this.”

“Okay. Well, if I got you, I can break anything.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

An hour later, they were sitting at the table in the kitchen, a large pizza and a half a six pack in front of them.

“So…” Dean said, wiping his mouth. He looked toward the bathroom Charlie had just disappeared into. “… you like chicks, now?”

“I don’t like chicks, Dean. I like Charlie. And why is that such a big deal?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Had to know I’d be affected by your womanizing ways. I’ve got a lifetime of your pickups in my head.”

“But you were straight when you left.” Dean whispered back.

“I was _broken_ when I left. She came to me with light and happiness and she saved me. She didn’t care that I was crazy and ruined. Charlie is beautiful and smart and she treats me better than _any_ man I’ve ever known. She’s gorgeous and funny and she loves me. And I love her. I love her the way I _thought_ I loved Castiel. It’s not about gender, Dean, it’s about how she makes me feel… how she…” Marion’s words were cut off by a sudden dizzying wave of nausea, a surge of power flowing over her.

“Are you okay, Marion?” Sam asked as Dean leaned forward to brace her. Charlie walked out of the bathroom and rushed to Marion’s side.

“She’s been having dizzy spells lately. I don’t suppose that’s a hunter thing.”

Marion took a deep breath and then several shaky sips from a glass of water Charlie held out in front of her face. She looked around at all the worried faces, before forcing a smile. “I’m fine. Low blood sugar.” She lied, taking a bite of pizza. She knew she didn’t have much longer, that the time for hiding it was drawing to a close.

“You develop diabetes since you been here, too?” Dean asked, not even trying to hide his disbelief.

“No. It’s a liver function thing. No glycogen stores in my liver, so I get woozy. I’m fine if I eat on time.” She said, pulling random anatomy knowledge out of her brain.

“Right. Seen a doctor?”

“Winchesters don’t do hospitals, unless we’re dying. I don’t have to tell you. I mean, unless the nurses are hot, it’s really not worth it. I’m fine.”

Charlie kissed her forehead and sat down. “So, when are we doing this?”

“Tonight. As soon as possible.” Marion urged.

Sam gave Marion a knowing look, but she ignored it in favor of her pizza.

~~~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~~******~~~~~******

Marion was digging through her closet. She and Charlie both had things in the closet that were their past. Things neither of them asked about. Marion pulled her duffel out of the back as Sam walked up.

“What is it, really? Jess had Type 1. I know what low blood sugar looks like. Whatever this is, it’s not hypoglycemia.”

“Does it matter, Sam?” Marion asked, pulling a large knife out of the bag and tucking it in the back of her jeans. “I just want to live my last few days, Sam, without everyone I love worrying about me. Just let me help Charlie get what you need and we’ll…” She exhaled sharply as another wave of nausea hit her. “… go from there.” She finished, weakly.

“What if, whatever this is, it acts up while you’re in Roman’s office? What if you get Charlie hurt because of this?” Sam whispered.

“If that happens, you get her out. Promise me, Sam.”

“Yeah. Of course. But, Marion… what is it?”

“This… is my punishment for my pride and rage. This is what I get for taking things into my own hands. It’s-“ She took a deep breath. “I won’t last much longer, Sammy.”

“You don’t look like you’re dying.”

“And yet, I am. Isn’t God funny?”

“God did this?”

“No. I did this. Lucifer did this. It’s done. I just need to get this one last thing…” She sat down on her bed, breathless. “I _have_ to leave on a good note. You can’t tell Charlie or Dean. They’d never let me walk into that building, if they knew.”

“I promise.”

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~~******

Sam and Dean sat in the van in the parking lot. They’d listened as Marion had flirted them past the guard under the guise of them wanting to see how the top floor gals live. As Charlie hacked Dick Roman’s computer, a thump was heard.

“What was that? You guys are supposed to be being quiet.” Dean growled.

“No. Finish. I’m not getting out of here.” Dean heard his sister’s pained voice.

“What do you mean? Of course, you are!” Charlie squeaked.

“No. I’m not. Before Cas died, I made a mistake. Literal deal with the Devil. I fucked up, and now, I’m… I really wanted to finish this with you, get you out safe, but… I’m gonna die in this room, Char, but you are gonna finish this. You’re gonna get out of this building and out of Chicago and never look back. You’re gonna take my bank account and transfer it to one of yours. I know you know my passcodes. Forget me and my brothers and move on. Okay?”

“Okay. Okay. I love you, Marion.”

“I love you. Now, go. Get the ring to Mount Doom.”

“Charlie!” Dean yelled. “Charlie, what is happening to my sister? Charlie?!”

“Tell Dean to shut up.” Marion said.

“She said to shut up.” Charlie whispered, shakily.

Sam grabbed the phone from Dean’s hand. “No tears, Charlie. That guard is walking toward the door. You have to finish and keep your composure or he is gonna know something is going on.”

“Easier said, Sam.”

“Where is she? Is she okay?” Dean growled toward the phone.

“Pulled herself into Dick’s bathroom. Guard.”

“Radio silence, Charlie. You’ve got this.” Sam said, before muting the phone and turning to Dean. “It’s the marks on her soul, Dean. She knew this was coming and somewhere in the back of our minds, we did, too. We’ve just been so pre-occupied with the Leviathans that we ignored the shit at the bottom of the pile.”

“What if we can help her? Sam, she can’t die in there! Dick Roman will eat her.”

“She said there was nothing we can do. She may not have told me what it is, but she knew. Somehow, she knows what the marks mean and she knew that we wouldn’t be able to help her. That’s why she didn’t tell you, Dean. She chose to go in there, knowing she was almost out of time because she wanted to end on a good note. She wanted to help the woman she loves, regardless of whether she made it out.”

Dean sat quiet for a moment. “What kind of dead? What do the markings mean? Is she getting pulled down to Hell? Up to Heaven? Maybe we can get her back.”

“Not right now, we can’t. We have to finish this. Maybe, later, if Cas ever snaps out of his crazy, then we can figure out what happened to her, but right now, Dean… we have the whole world on the shoulders of a 90 pound girl who is scared out of her mind and mourning harder than we are. Focus.”

Dean seemed to physically shrug off the fact that he wanted to punch his brother’s face.

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~~*****

Marion lay on the floor in the bathroom and smiled weakly at Charlie as she quickly wet her hands. The ginger wiped her hands as she turned off the light and shut the bathroom door behind her.

As soon as the door clicked shut, the room began to shake. Marion sat up as best she could as a bright light engulfed the room. And then, she was sitting in an office chair in front of a desk and a brunette in a pantsuit, and she felt fine; able to breath for the first time in months.

“You are feeling better now, I assume?” Marion nodded. “Good. Your body was begging to come home. You should have been here months ago. Welcome to Heaven. My name is Naomi and I have been given the unique task of training you, the first ever new angel.”

“I thought the term was ‘reprogram’.”

“Oh, yes. You do have a bit of insider knowledge, don’t you? Yes, unfortunately, we do have to take a few less than savory approaches to get Heaven’s soldiers where they need to be. And you, well, it won’t just be a few minor tweaks for you, Marion. It’s going to be a major overhaul.”

“Fine. I’ve been preparing, mentally, for this. But, tell me, how long was I out?”

“You were out for a while. It’s been several months on Earth.”

“Did they win? Did my brothers beat the Leviathans?”

“Yes. They did. The Winchester brothers saved humanity again.”

“And Charlie?”

“Survived that night you were last with her and made it out of Chicago with nothing more than a broken arm and a broken heart.” There was an edge of humor in the angel’s words.

“Okay… okay. They’re safe? They’re safe.” She sniffed and steeled herself for the coming torture. “So, how do we do this?”

“Well, in the future if you remember these events, you might call forth the word ‘torture’, but I promise you, it will all be worth it. We will start with the Enochian language.” Naomi said, pulling a drill off a metal tray.

 


	17. Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marion re-emerges from Heaven. Midway through season 9.

Dean walked out of the bunker. The cold shoulder Sam was giving him had chilled the whole area and he needed a walk in the warmth.

“Dean.”

Dean turned to the voice, which had followed a small flutter of wings. “Marion? Where have you been?”

“Dean, I don’t have a lot of time. Did Castiel ever explain to you what happened to me?” Marion asked, stepping forward.

She seemed okay, from what Dean could see, but something he couldn’t put his finger on was _wrong_.

“Yeah. Angel recruiting system. Pissed you didn’t say anything. We might’ve been able to help.”

Marion shook her head. “God couldn’t help, Dean. I wasn’t going to add more shit to your pile. Look, I have maybe 10 minutes before Metatron realizes I’m gone.”

“Metatron? You’re still in Heaven? You didn’t fall?”

“Metatron didn’t cast me out. He says he likes me, that I used to be human and I know good literature so I’m worth keeping, but I know he’s planning to use me against you and Castiel. He’s small and unassuming, but scary in his anger and intelligence, and that Gadreel… Dean, Heaven is… it’s falling apart. The Garden is dying. The personal Heavens have started colliding. I was lucky enough to find Ash and Bobby, but… that’s not important. What’s important is that Castiel is amassing followers. He’s making Metatron nervous. He’s more nervous about Castiel than he is about you and Sam or even Malachi. He will send Gadreel after Castiel.”

“Wait… wait, though. How are you… you? Cas said you were gonna be reprogrammed. When Cas got reprogrammed by Naomi, he almost killed me. How can I trust a word you’re saying?” Dean asked, his voice going close to a whisper.

Marion shrugged as Sam walked out of the bunker. “You can’t, Dean. You can choose to trust what I’m saying and believe me when I say that Naomi tried, that she dug into my brain but was unable to finish her work before Metatron killed her. Or you can ignore me again. We all know you’re better at the latter.”

“Yeah. You’re you.” Dean mumbled.

Marion turned to Sam as he walked up next to Dean. “Kevin was right, you know? Get over it. Dean has proven time and again that he will not let you die. Dean has given his life and soul for you, over and over. How could you expect him to just let you give up? Get over it. You don’t get to give up yet.”

“I’ve earned…”

“Nothing. You’ve had such a hard life, right? Hunting and helping people. The whole thing with Azazel, the demon blood, the time in the Cage, the crazy-brains, the anger inside you? But around that, you’ve had more normality than any Winchester ever. The year with the girl and the dog, the time you spent in college. Hell, you didn’t even know what Dad was hunting until you were in Elementary School. Dean has done nothing to deserve being alone, so you don’t get to quit. Unless, you’re interested in going through what he’s gone through in order to keep you around… then I’d be willing to agree you’re too tired to go on.”

“Are you threatening me?” Sam sounded amused.

“No. I’m reminding you that I’m an archangel now…” She said, stepping toward her younger brother. “… who knows the way into Purgatory and Hell and who, apparently, has more loyalty for our brother right now than you do.”

Sam stood his ground. “Dean had no right.”

“He did as Dad trained him. ‘Protect Sammy’. Always keep Sam safe. You don’t get to condemn him. You are all he has left. He’s not going to be alone.”

“Why are you siding with him? You died and left. You weren’t around. Why don’t I get to go to Heaven?”

Marion’s face took on a hard edge. “Oh, would you like to trade places, Sam? Would you like to spend several months in agony as grace fills up your insides and pulls you toward Heaven? Would you like to have some archangel in a pant-suit drill into your brain to alter you? Would you like to sit in a room in a mostly barren wasteland talking to a blowhard angel wearing the body of a 60 year old Jewish man, hoping he doesn’t decide to cast you down to Earth with the rest of the family? And I obviously haven’t given up if I’m here.”

Sam stared at her, half hoping she was exaggerating. “I don’t have time for this.” She said, suddenly, appearing behind Sam and touching his shoulder. The scene around them changed. They were on a sidewalk in the middle of the day.

“Where are we?”

“You’re back to your angsty teen shit, wanting to be dead? Well, okay. Let’s look at if you had never been born. It’s a Wonderful Life, Sam. Gotta go.”

Sam looked around. He recognized Lawrence, but couldn’t pin-point the time. “This is ridiculous. Punish me for Dean putting his wants first.” He mumbled, walking down the street. He stopped across the street from their old home. John was out in the front yard with a football, tossing it to a skinny boy who looked about 11.

As Sam watched the football fly back and forth, Mary walked out of the house with 2 glasses of lemonade. Sam’s stomach flipped. She looked so happy and beautiful. He’d never seen a picture of her that did her justice.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

“Where’d you take him?”

“A little illusion I created. I’ll bring him home tomorrow.”

“Hey… this angel thing as bad as it seems?” Dean asked, looking down at the gravel under his feet.

“What can I say, Dean? It’s Heaven.” She said, disappearing.

“And Heaven’s rotting.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion stepped into the Garden and stood next to a tree. Metatron was examining a wilted flower. “It’s sad. This used to be so beautiful. Lucifer should never have gotten in. Humans would have grown as a species here, in Heaven, where they belong.”

“Yeah, but your buddy, Gadreel, fell asleep on the job. He let the snake in. And you reward him by making him your second.”

“I need someone who knows war. I was never a soldier, Marion. Like you. You were never supposed to be a soldier. You’re a scholar. Not a hunter, either. You aren’t like the other archangels.”

“I’m one of a kind, Metatron.”

“Yes, you are, Marion.” Metatron said, sighing.

“I, uh, think I’m going to head down to Earth.”

“To find your brothers?” Metatron asked.

“Yes. Not to help them or anything. Just to watch over them. I worry.”

“Naomi couldn’t take that from you, huh? Your love of them. Maybe… I would have better luck.”

Marion didn’t flinch as he moved toward her, menacingly. “Metatron… I have stared down Zachariah and Michael. I have held my own against Castiel using all the souls in Purgatory. I took Lucifer and Michael into my body. I kept myself through more torturous reprogramming than I like thinking about. After Lucifer, Michael and Naomi, I am not frightened of you, Marv.”

“Then, why are you waiting around up here?” Metatron asked, moving to sit on a bench.

“I might not fear you, but I respect that you are the only reason I did not fall with the rest. I like being one of the few who are allowed in Paradise. I can’t just stay here, now, though. Ignoring everything you’ve caused that’s gone crazy, my brothers need help dealing with Crowley and Abaddon. Please.”

“You’ve gone from wanting to watch to wanting to help.”

“Still a Winchester, despite my wings. Of course, I want to help. But I don’t want to be locked out if I go down there.”

“You don’t tell them about me, okay?”

“Of course, Marv. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Sam sat on a bench, watching Mary and Dean eating ice cream. Marion appeared next to him.

“I considered adding myself into the mix, but… Nah. You being in mom’s stomach didn’t cause my death, so… just Dean.”

“They’re so happy.”

“Yep. No baby Sammy, no reason for Azazel to break in. Mom doesn’t die, Dad doesn’t lose his mind, and Dean gets a childhood. You’ve never really thought about how much Dean sacrificed for you. He went to Hell for you. So you could live. He was willing to say ‘yes’ to Michael so that you wouldn’t have to say ‘yes’ to Lucifer. He has given so much… doesn’t he get to be selfish a bit?”

“I don’t like it. He tricks me and thinks that’s okay.”

“You don’t have to like it, Sammy. You just have to stop being a little bitch about it. Dean never holds any of this against you. He doesn’t hold it against you that you didn’t look for him while he was in Purgatory. He’s been through a lot, Sam. And he doesn’t know how to be alone. You are all he has.”

Sam looked over. “What about you, and Cas? Dean could live without me.”

“Castiel is not the most reliable friend. He’s easily misled and makes disastrous decisions without consulting those with more wisdom. It’s like he’s making a conscious effort to get himself killed. It’s no wonder why Naomi targeted him. Metatron, either. And me? As smart as I am, and as much as I love Dean, I’m not good for him. There’s a reason God told me to leave after you jumped into the Cage. He’s got one sibling to worry about. He doesn’t need me adding more to it.”

Sam focused in on her face for the first time since she’d showed up again. There was a coldness there that she was trying to hide behind a small smile. “Are-are you okay, Marion?”

Marion dragged her eyes away from the happy family. “Of course, I am, Sam.”

“Look, Marion, I know we’ve never been -" Sam started.

“I’m an angel, Sam.” She interrupted. “They had to take out a lot of who I was to make room for who I am. I have the history of the universe in my mind, every language you can imagine, and I still managed to retain a lot of my memories and Dean’s. You look at me and recognize a façade. Congratulations, Sam, but there is nothing I can do to make you feel more comfortable about it. I am sorry about that.” Marion said, putting her hand on Sam’s shoulder.

Sam appeared outside the bunker, alone.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Crowley walked into his hotel room with a small brown paper bag. “Crowley.” He turned his head to the suite’s living room, where Marion was sitting on the arm of the couch.

“Femchester! You look… different.”

“So do you, Crowley.” Marion said, standing. She gestured at his face. “Less twisted in the soul area.”

“I don’t have a –“

“You are a soul.” She interrupted, grabbing his paper bag. She sniffed the blood bag and threw it back to him. “Blood of an alcoholic wife-beater. That’s no good. If you want to feel clean again, you need sinless blood.”

Crowley looked down at the bag. “How did you-“

“You and Castiel should talk. You’re very alike, so nostalgic for the humanity you sacrificed to become something more.”

“Should be more like you, then? What’d you sacrifice your humanity for? What are you?”

“Are you so far gone that you can’t recognize a demon’s natural enemy?”

Crowley crunched the top of the paper bag in his left hand. “Oh. They took yer emotions. That’s why you’re… wrong. Didn’t know people could become angels. So, what? Did you catch it from Castiel, like some sort of holy VD?”

“Lucifer, actually. And Michael.”

“You… Lucifer? Really?”

“Yes. You and Lucifer are very much alike. Befriending people, making it seem like you give a damn, while manipulating everything behind the scenes. Lucifer marked me and made me an angel. You got Dean the Mark of Cain.”

“I didn’t mark ‘im, Cain did! And Dean agreed.”

“I agreed to be marked by Lucifer and Michael, but I didn’t really know what I was agreeing to. Neither did Dean.”

“Dean didn’t want to know, Missy. Cain tried to warn him.”

“And now, he’s drinking like a fish because he can’t stop thinking about that knife in his hand. You did that.”

Crowley looked at her, expectantly. “Care to try that again, love? You sound a bit lackluster.”

“Crowley, I get that you aren’t scared of angels. You’ve worked with angels, you’ve seen many die. But I am an archangel, and I am a Winchester. I am watching my family, Crowley. Sam, Dean, Cas, Charlie, they are under my protection.”

“Charlie… cute little ginger, likes girls?”

Marion sighed. “Yes, Crowley.”

“Are you tryin’ to feel sad right now?” Crowley asked, amused. “Want me to dig around in your head, dig out those feelings so you can tell me about Charlie?”

“I think I might be better off without them, Crowley, but if you want to hear the story, it’s pretty simple. Castiel broke me under your guidance. I lay with Lucifer and Michael and was marked. Not knowing how long I had, I ingratiated myself to one of Dick Roman’s IT techs in an attempt to take down the Leviathans. Charlie was my friend, roommate and lover. She fixed all the damage Castiel created, and then, when she needed me most, the grace in me welled up and I was called up to Heaven. Because I wasn’t around, Charlie got her arm broken in the escape from Roman Enterprises. And now, she’s in Oz with Dorothy, literally.”

“I genuinely feel bad for you, Maid Marion. That’s very sad.”

“Yes, Crowley, it is. And I believe that you feel sadness for my plight, because that seems to be the only emotion you focus on. There are other things to feel.”

Crowley gave her a look as he tossed the bag on the couch. “Like, say lust… or the infatuation you felt for Ginger?”

“The love I felt for her? Yes, those are better emotions.”

“It’s been a while since I felt anything other than physical need for a woman. It’s probably the blood talkin’ but if I kissed you, would it burn?”

Marion rolled her eyes a bit as he seemed to take a predatory stance. “Unlikely. Castiel and Meg… kissed without any issue. But you and I are not making a deal, King of Hell, so there will be no kissing.”

Crowley made a displeased noise. “Meg. Annoying little spur in my side. I killed her, you know? That get me any brownie points?”

“A demon killing another demon for their own petty reasons does nothing to garner points, not with me.”

“You know, you were already in a relationship with me, Marion. Every romantic idea Castiel ever had, that was me.” Crowley said taking a drink of Scotch from a glass that had suddenly appeared.

“I’m aware.”

“Then, you know you were only physically with him. Mentally, you were with me.”

Marion appeared in front of him, gently pulling the glass from his hand and taking a sip. “I can see where you’re going with this, and I’ve got one response.” She leaned forward and whispered. “It will never, ever happen unless you could convince me that you’d do better than Lucifer.”

Crowley let out a shuddering sigh. “You know, it’s not fair. Cassie reaped the physical benefits but I was behind all of his kind words and every gift he left.”

“Continuing to remind me will do nothing to help you, demon. I have no desire for a physical relationship. Every man I’ve laid with has given me nothing but pain.”

“You make me curse my gender. I could always smoke into a-

“Leave Dean alone.” Marion cut him off. “He’s got enough on his plate without you.” She handed him back his scotch and disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat outside the bunker, waiting for one of her brothers to walk out. Enochian warding kept her out of the bunker. She blinked herself invisible as a car engine approached. A large beige boxy car stopped in front of the bunker.

“Marion?” Castiel asked, stepping out of the vehicle.

“Castiel.” She said, curtly.

“You look very well. You were not injured in the Fall?” Castiel asked, shutting the door to his car and stepping toward her. Marion took a steady step backward.

“I’ve spent the last several months placating Metatron so that I wouldn’t lose the tenuous hold I have on Heaven’s Glory, Castiel. I made sure that I did not Fall with the others.”

A look of anger flashed across Castiel’s face. “Placating? How, exactly, have you been placating him?”

“Talking to him, mostly.” Marion said. “He was lonely for a very long time.”

“Lonely? Did you mate with him?” Castiel asked.

Marion squared her shoulders and cocked her head at the other angel. “I do not feel you should be judging me, Castiel. Did you mate with a Reaper mercenary and several homeless women while you were human?”

Castiel opened his mouth to defend himself.

“No, Castiel. I have not lain with a man since Lucifer. Though, the Scribe does flirt. And Crowley seems very interested. Unfortunately, I don’t feel much lust since I’ve been an angel. Don’t feel much of anything.”

“Why do you not just extract your grace? Your brothers have an item similar to a syringe that-“

“I know. I watched your procedure with Sam. Thank you for not killing him.” Marion shook her head, slightly. “Extract my grace? To what end? Several months of being almost human until the marks on my soul flood me with grace again? No. If I’m not an angel, I’m nothing.”

“How can you say that, Marion?”

“How much of yourself did you lose to Naomi?” Marion asked, calmly.

“I… don’t know.”

“I’m not quite sure, myself. It’s difficult to know what you can’t remember is gone. But I know what I managed to hold onto. Dean’s memories, particularly those of childhood and all information about hunting, were much more important than my memories. What is left of me, is mostly Dean. Basic human psychology says without my memories, I will not be me. As an angel, that makes sense.”

“Still, you should be uniquely qualified to make the transition from angel to human.”

“Why? I was hardly a well-adjusted human. I fell in love with the first man to show me more than just a passing interest. And when he inevitably rejected me, I grew insane with rage, made a deal with Satan and almost killed myself in an attempt to gain the revenge I was so sure I deserved. Now, I have only basic emotion. It gives me the opportunity to focus on more important things, like saving the Garden.”

“What happened to the Garden?” Castiel asked, walking toward her again.

Marion stood her ground this time. “Metatron kicked out the gardener, Castiel. There used to be thousands of soldiers caring for and running Heaven. Now, there is only a scribe, a newbie, and a guard so incompetent that he couldn’t even keep Lucifer out of the Garden. We can’t run things. I need to get Heaven open for everyone.”

“That is what I am working toward. We could help each other.” Castiel said, hopefully.

“I’m sorry, but no. I promised I would not reveal his secrets to you. I will do what I can without breaking my honor. When my brothers exit that damned shelter, let them know I was here.”

“Marion, wait!” Castiel shouted, reaching for her hand as she was about to fly away. She blinked up at him and pulled her hand back.

“Yes?”

Castiel cleared his throat and searched for words. “I wanted to apologize, Marion. I know that you said you forgave me back then, before I released the Leviathans, but I don’t think I understood, then, why I was feeling regret. I know now. I used you. I lied to you and abused your emotions. And I’m very sorry. I should never have tricked you into becoming… I shouldn’t have messed with your emotions.”

Marion blinked at him again. “All right. Now, who did that help?” She asked.

“What?” Castiel asked, confusion contorting his face.

“You’re expressing regret for something that happened several years ago. Your regret does not alleviate my anger at your actions, nor does it change what I did in response to your actions. I am irrevocably broken because of your actions and your apology won’t fix it. So, that didn’t help me, it must be to help you. I think it would only help you if I were to freely forgive you. But I haven’t done that.” Marion heard the door groan open behind her, but she continued. “I feel my voice may have betrayed me. Let me be clear. I’m not angry at your apology, Castiel. I’m not angry at your actions, anymore. I don’t feel any anger toward you, because while I have knowledge of what you did the vivid memories of my humanity and the accompanying emotions are absent. Urgonur gal-graph. Urgraphgis gemed.” She finished as Sam and Dean walked up.

Marion smiled, brightly and turned to her brothers. “I was here to offer my hand, but Metatron must’ve seen me talking to Castiel, because he’s blowing up angel radio. I’ll come back later.”

Castiel stepped toward Sam and Dean, sadly looking at the spot where Marion had stood.

“What’d she say, at the end? The Enochian?” Dean asked.

“The translation is… roughly, she said, ‘The flower is dead, let it go’.”

“What’s ‘the flower’?” Dean asked.

“She is.” Sam answered. “She said something like that to me, too. She said she wasn’t herself anymore. And that she wasn’t going to be able to make us feel better about it.”

“What does she mean, ‘not herself’? She acts just like she used to.” Dean said.

“No, Dean. She’s pretending and you are blind to it.” Sam said.

“Naomi tortured her, adding and removing things from her brain. Marion made certain to remember what she thought was most important, the information that had saved her life when she was human. Your memories, Dean.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means we lost Rapunzel, Dean. Permanently.” Sam said, somberly.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion appeared in front of a fallen tree in the Garden. Metatron sat on the log. “I really didn’t think I had to tell you to stay away from your ex-boyfriend. You know, the one who wants to kill me.”

“Well, you can’t really blame him, can you, Marv? You took his grace and used it to throw the civil wars in Heaven down onto the Earth on top of the people he’s come to care about. I’d want you dead, too, if I thought your death would open Heaven to our brothers.” Marion said, coolly.

“But they aren’t your brothers. You were adopted.”

“Is this going to turn into a fight about who ‘Dad’ loves more, because I’m willing to fight dirty on that?”

“God chose me, Marion. Picked me out of every other angel in Heaven, to be his scribe.”

“And then he exiled you to Earth for thousands of years. When’s the last time you even spoke to God?”

Metatron glared darkly at Marion. “Why do you think I did this? Because I deserved his protection and he threw me down to hide with the Natives back before they’d ever seen a white man.”

“God will not give you the ending you want.”

“He doesn’t need to. I’m writing the story now. I get to be the hero now, not some throw away character.”

Marion shook her head. “You know… fuck this. Toss me down, sever my link. Lock the door behind me. Put a blade in my heart. I won’t stand here and listen to you ramble. History is written by the winners and you think you’re gonna write that book-“

“I’m already writing it!”

“Goodbye, Metatron.”

“You’ll regret this, Marion.”

“How? You’ve already created chaos on Earth. You had Kevin killed, you’ve set Castiel up to be your storybook villain, you have made it where no one can come home. I would rather be down in the trenches than up here with a mad man who is bent on making himself God. You saw what happened to the last two guys who tried that, right?”

“I’m different.”

“Yes, you are. Doesn’t mean you’ll win. There is a reason why God has my brothers’ backs.” Marion said, disappearing from the Garden.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat at a bar with a scotch in front of her. She cursed herself for giving up Paradise, but she knew it was the right thing.

“Can I buy you a drink?” A handsome brunette man beside her asked, with a smile.

Marion didn’t look at him. “I didn’t come here to be hit on.”

“A woman looking like you, in a bar like this, drinking whisky? I wouldn’t dare. Just thought you might like a free drink and a listening ear.”

“It won’t do you very much good, but if you want to spend your money… by all means.”

“So… I’m Justin.” He said, motioning for the bartender to give Marion another scotch.

“Marion.”

“And what has you drinking scotch at 2 in the afternoon?”

Marion sighed. “Everything.” She answered, vaguely.

“Oh, kay. So, what do you do? A woman as intense as you must have an intense job.”

“I’m a soldier.”

“Ooh. Army girl! Me, I’m an author.”

“Really? What do you write?” Marion asked, boredly.

“Oh, just… everything.” Justin said. Something in the way he said it made Marion turn to actually examine him.

“Chuck?” She whispered.

Justin smiled. “That took you far too long to figure out.”

Marion jumped off her stool and hugged God’s new vessel. “Well, that’s the most emotion I’ve seen out of you in months.”

She pulled back. “You’ve been watching?”

“Of course. You’re one of my favorites, Marion.”

“I’m one of your favorites, yet you watched as Naomi tortured my humanity out of me?”

“Yes. Not gonna sugarcoat it, Mare, you had to change. You said it yourself, you weren’t well-adjusted. And how could you be? The people Zachariah placed you with, they were insane. They wouldn’t let you go outside. I made humans to need fresh air and sunlight. They poisoned you with a basement of damp dark air and no social interaction. At least Jesus got to help Joseph in the damn workshop. I allowed Naomi to do her thing just long enough for her to clear out all the rotten pieces. And then, I let Metatron kill her.”

“You couldn’t change me, so you wrote an event to do it for you.”

“Yes. I wish I could have just written it all away, but we both know that wouldn’t have worked.”

“She didn’t just take the… ‘rotten parts’, sir. She took happiness. She took love. She took anger. I’m left only with a devotion, driven not by love or warmth, but by necessity. A weight bearing on me to live for you. I only felt a need to help my brothers because I know that I should feel the need to help them. I have drawn a parallel many times to Sam when he was soulless.”

“That’s fixable. The emotions, the conscience, the soul, they’re all in there, Marion. Now, I’m not going to fix you. I’ve broken my policy of non-interference too many times for you Winchesters. But you’ve already been presented with the solution.”

Marion stared into God’s eyes, confused. He rolled his eyes. “The King of Demons who’s suddenly attracted to a human in a holy body.”

“You want me to allow Crowley, the junkie King of Hell, to dig into my brain?”

“I could order you to, but I won’t. If you want your soul back, Marion, Crowley is the answer. Unless you know someone else who has the knowledge of reprogramming that he does.”

“Sir. You made us. Why can’t you…”

“Because I’m done bailing you out. I’ve helped you much more than I’ve helped any of my other favorites. You think I showed up this often for Noah? Moses got me once. Jesus met me at his resurrection, and even then I could only whisper to him because I knew the archangels were watching. If you wanna be fixed, go to Crowley." Justin said, pointedly. “Leave this bar right now and go to him. Not tomorrow, not in a week. Now. You do whatever he asks, you pay his price. I have written the consequences. If you want to be able to feel again, you do this and anything that occurs, is my will.”

Marion didn’t have a chance to agree, because God disappeared. She took a look at her scotch, then flew off to the hotel Crowley was staying in. Crowley looked up from his spot on the hotel couch.

“You’re back.” He said, surprised.

“I’ve decided to take you up on your offer.”

Crowley stood, pulling his robe closed. “You want me to fix yer brain?”

“Yes. Name your price.”

“You.” He said, quickly. “I want to taste what Lucifer did.”

“You want to have sex with me?” She clarified.

“Yeah. I want you; because I know you’re disgusted by me. You think you’re so much better than me just because you went up when you sold yer soul. I went down, but it’s all the-“

“The same thing.”

“What?” He blurted out, surprised.

“I fully expected, when I made that deal with Lucifer, that I would find myself in your kingdom when I died. Instead, he sentenced me to something arguably worse. Heaven has become Hell for angels. Wars, torture, death, the Garden is rotting and that isn’t even a metaphor. All my new brothers, they are better off on Earth but new things frighten them, so they are clawing for the familiar Hell of Heaven. And I’m clawing for a bit of my humanity. All because I made a deal. I used my body for currency in that transaction, so I may as well use it here, to fix the things I destroyed.”

“You mean you…”

“I’m going to have sex with you. It may be the lack of conscience or emotion, but I am willing to do anything to fix my mistake. Even engage in intercourse with someone I find morally reprehensible. And to clarify, Crowley, it isn’t the fact that you are a demon that I find reprehensible. I can understand selling your soul, and I can forgive you for giving in to the torture and becoming more than just a spirit. Even Dean couldn’t last for more than a few decades. But what I hold against you is when you refused to give Bobby his soul back. I hold against you Jody Mills and Sarah Blake and the others my brothers saved whom you killed just to get to them. I hold it against you that you manipulated Castiel into lying to all of us and that you manipulated him into breaking me. I hold it against you that you doomed Dean with the Mark and never explained how fucked he was. And I hold that last one against you more than anything else, because you had at least a semi-functioning conscience at the time.”

Crowley nodded. “Didn’t kill Jody Mills, but regardless of how I feel, and I loathe to use that phrase, I am the King of Hell, and in order to maintain that position, I have to do what needs to be done.”

“I know all about that. Now...” Marion started, pulling off her green and blue flannel shirt to reveal a grey spaghetti strap shirt. “…do as you see fit, your majesty.”

Crowley smirked and approached her. “You aren’t just gonna lay there, are you?”

“If I could feel insulted, I would. I might not be excited about this, and I couldn’t feel excited about this even if I wanted to, but I can feel things, physically. So, assuming you are as good in bed as you think, you should have my toes curling in no time.”

Crowley grabbed the collar of her top and pulled the shirt in half. His fingers flicked open the front clasp of her bra and stared for a second before snapping his fingers, leaving them both nude. Marion grabbed his hand and transported them to the bed.

“Can I kiss you, or is this a ‘not on the mouth’ kind of deal?”

“I don’t mind.”

Crowley rolled on top of her and stared at her. “Have to wonder, should I go at this fast and hard, like I normally would, or should I take my time? Should I savor this or just finish myself off? It’s not like you’ll feel grateful about me putting your needs first, and I haven’t put a woman first in years.”

“I, literally, could not care less.”

“But when you can feel again, it would just kill you if you enjoyed being taken by the King of Hell, wouldn’t it?”

“Probably.” She said, succinctly.

“Well, who am I to give up an opportunity to be a permanent fixture in the mind of a Winchester?” He said, before kissing her neck. His hand made its way slowly down her body, following along her curves. As the hair at her neckline tickled his face, he realized he’d never seen her with her hair down. Not once, since the day he met her at that roadside rib cart, had her hair been out of a bun.

“Sit up.” He said, rolling off her enough for her to follow his directions. As she sat up, his hand reached behind her head, the elastic band holding her bun in place snapping as soon as his fingers grazed it. Crowley grabbed a handful of dark blond locks and brought them around to rest over her breast. “Better.”

Marion just looked on as he started to kiss down her neck and collarbone amid waves of hair that would never again need a salon. Her heart pounded as he latched, roughly, onto one of her nipples. Had Crowley not been able to hear her pulse, he never would have known.


	18. Small Bump

Several hours later, Marion rolled off the side of the bed and scooped her clothes up off of the floor.  
     
"Never had to work so hard without so much as a moan in response." Crowley muttered.

"You should have asked me to moan, Crowley. I would have." She responded, pulling her no longer broken tank top back on. Crowley grabbed his glass of scotch off the side table.

"When you figured out Cassie was a distraction, once you went into a rage, did you destroy all the trinkets and gifts he gave you?"  
     
"No. All the gifts seemed so thoughtful that I was unable to differentiate between the gifts left to keep me occupied and the ones left with true intent, so I boxed them up and put them in one of Dad's old storage spaces."  
     
"When I'm done digging around in you... if I do it right it'll take a few days, but when I'm done... go find that necklace, the locket, and open it up. I think it might help you cope with all this."  
     
"The locket wouldn't open. The clasp was damaged."  
     
"No. It wouldn't open because I didn't want it to. It'll open now. Come on, get dressed."  
     
****************  
     
When Marion woke up, she felt like herself again. She felt disgusted with herself, and with her advanced angelic awareness, she could feel physical changes rampaging through her body. She thanked Crowley in a note left on his bedside table and left. She found an open field and prayed silently, to God.  
     
"Glad to see you awake. Thought maybe he'd gone off script."  
     
"You knew... you wrote my consequences. You wanted this abomination to happen." She placed a shaky hand on her stomach. "Not just nephilim, but a demon-angel hybrid. It sounds like something out of a comic book."  
     
"A video game, actually. And I think an anime, but the point is the same. This child will be glorious. She will be the strongest thing I've ever had a hand in. You should be happy, I chose you. I picked you, out of all the disenfranchised angels hoping for just a speck of guidance, to usher in the next big thing."  
     
"Why him, though? Why not a human?"  
     
"I've tried the human-angel pairing. Castiel and Metatron killed her last year. I needed something stronger. I considered pairing the Bitch Knight of Hell with one of my angels in a male vessel but I couldn't think of a way to write it that wouldn't feel forced. You and the King of Hell, that just fell together perfectly."  
       
"I will bear this creature, so I shudder to think it, but how wise is it to create a creature so strong, with no weaknesses? Did you not learn from the Leviathans?"   
     
"Of course I did. I'm God." Justin seemed offended. "You and Crowley came together to create the new Eve and you can come together again to destroy her."  
       
"Eve?"  
      
"Not the one you're thinking of. The original. The mother of humanity. I always preferred Echidna for the mother of monsters, anyway. She picked Eve to sound nicer. The important thing here, Marion, is that baby. You need to keep this baby safe." Justin put his hand on Marion's stomach. "I know you. You are going to want to help Sam and Dean. You are going to try to stop Metatron and Abbadon, but I can't let you do that. Any damage to you might be damage to her. She's still vulnerable now because she's connected to you. So, until this baby is born, you will be relieved of all of your grace. I'll leave you with your wings, in order to escape bad situations."  
     
"You're making me human again? I didn't avoid fights when I, actually, was human, why would I now?"  
      
"Not human, just without grace. I can't fix the fact that you're an angel. You'll avoid fights because if you get into a fight that damages my nephilim Eve, I will write you a situation that will irreversibly damage everything you've ever cared about. Worse than the Mark of Cain taking your brother, worse than Charlie stuck in Oz. I will destroy everything you care about, if your decisions fuck up this baby."  
      
"Yes, sir."  
       
"Glad you understand." He said, starting to turn away from her.  
        
"Sir?" Justin turned back around. "I'm trying not to question you, but... you can't think I'd be a good mom. I'll never not be a Winchester, or an angel, or a hunter. I'd never be able to devote myself to a baby."  
     
"I'm not expecting you to raise it, Winchester. Just carry it, birth it. You will know the couple I've picked when you met them."  
     
"Yes, sir."  
       
"You can stop with the 'Yes, Sir's. 'Chuck' is fine. I think I'm going back to Chuck. This one is... people pay too much attention to a pretty face, you know?"  
     
"Yes, sir... I mean... Naomi kinda... I'll work on that...Chuck."  
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion found her way to John's storage locker, opening a large metal chest. She pulled out and opened a jewelry box and grabbed the locket. It opened, easily.  
     
' _Bobby's library, Demonology by Franc. McCain_ ' was scrawled across the inside of the locket.  
       
Marion pulled out a book she had borrowed from Bobby and thought she'd lost. She flipped through the book and a letter fell out. She looked down at a piece of good parchment paper with a nice calligraphy handwriting on it.

" _ **Marion. The locket opened, so I'm either dead or I have decided that you need to know the truth. I'm probably dead. If I am dead, Castiel probably cocked up the plan and you figured it out. Of course it's you. Not one of your brothers. Sam is smart but his ability to put together the events going on around him is primary school. I really like you Winchesters. You are amazing and infuriating. You keep me on my toes and make me work for every inch of ground I earn.**_  
  
_**If you didn't figure it out, your boyfriend has been working with me for months now. We've been searching for Purgatory and using your brothers to find it. You were right. I had nothing to do with Sam coming back. I lied. And you saw right through it. Called me on my bull. And that was such an amazing thing. I can understand Moose and Squirrel talking to me that way. They've been hunting their whole lives. They have spit and bled on creatures that most people have never even had nightmares of.**_  
  
_**You had none of their upbringing. Castiel told me about your life. Sheltered. Hidden away. Never knowing what is really out there until the angels fucked your life around. And then, suddenly faced with the harsh reality of the world your brothers have walked in for years, you flourish. You looked the King of Hell in the face and told him to piss off. I knew, immediately, that you were a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't the one who could reckon with you.**_ _ **Castiel**_ _ **had to do that.**_  
  
_**I watched you a while. I listened to**_ _ **Castiel's**_ _ **stories of you. I told myself it was research, 'know thine enemy', but truth is, I was fascinated with you. At one point, the idiot wanted to break it off because he was sure you wouldn't be an issue anymore. I'd grown too dependent on living vicariously through that winged pest's stories that I convinced him to stick around. Instead of a real presence, I convinced him to leave you gifts. Every single one was picked by me. I put a lot of thought into every trinket he carelessly tossed at your sleeping form.**_  
  
_**The roses all came from a bush climbing a trellis at the cemetery where your mother is buried. I went to ten antique bookstores to find a copy of Grimm that held true to the originals. The locket that brought you to this letter is an exact, custom-made replica of a necklace your mum wore at their wedding. He thought they were random gifts, but I put a lot of effort into things you never knew about.**_  
  
_**And now that I've admitted to playing Cyrano to a holy man-child, I have to curse you. You made me feel. I've been a demon for hundreds of years and you made me feel like a bloody human. I did things in the background for you that I never even did for the Wallace woman I was married to when I was human. I am the demon King of Hell, what am I supposed to do with this unrequitable love that sprang up on me?**_  
  
_**I hope I'm dead.**_ '  
     
"So. You are the one Crowley has been pining for." Marion turned to see a redhead in black leather standing just on the other side of her father's devil's trap at the door.   
     
"Abaddon. Dean hasn't killed you yet?" Marion said, standing.  
     
"You're funny. You must get that from Dean. No, I'm just collecting collateral against Crowley, your name was high on the list. King of Hell and an angel, huh? This is worse than the blood habit."

"I heard he's kicking that habit. And me, I'm not a player in this. I've got orders from pretty high up, to stay out of this fight, so I think I'll listen. Find some other collateral, Abaddon. I'm not playing." She said, before disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion walked around the country. She didn't fly, she didn't drive. She walked. Somehow, she wound up in a diner in rural Indiana, picking at a plate of spaghetti topped with an unnaturally bright red tomato sauce. The waitress had caught her eye as she'd walked by and that was the only reason she'd stopped in. "Somethin' wrong with the pasta, honey?" The server asked, walking up.

"I don't eat much anymore. It... takes some getting back used to. Can I bother you to take a seat?" Marion asked, gesturing to the opposite side of the booth. The waitress smiled and sat. "What's your name?"

"Claire."

"And your girlfriend?"

The server looked confused and scared, so Marion grabbed her hand and filled the young woman with grace. "My name is Marion. I'm an angel of the Lord. I'm not here to persecute you. I just want to talk. Please."

"Her name is Lillian. Lily."

"Okay. Claire, life mate of Lily, God sent me to you.

"God? But we're witches."

"God really doesn't distinguish. We're all his children and he calls upon us when we're needed." She pulled her hands away from the waitress'. "My story is a long, complicated one, but the part that concerns you, is the baby."

"Baby?"

"You've been getting blocked at the adoption agencies, haven't you? No one wants a lesbian couple to get their hands on a newborn, so no one is working with you. Right?"

Claire's eyes welled up. She couldn't speak, nodding. "A child will be born... about 7 months from now. Despite it's appearances, the child will not be human. It will be the first of it's kind. Half angel, half demon. It will need a pair of attentive, loving, parents, regardless of gender and sexuality. God chose you and Lily, likely because a loving set of witches could handle a nephilim child. This child will be powerful, more powerful than anything in the world. But God has determined the two of you can handle it."

Marion smiled sweetly, putting her hands on her belly. "It's a big job, and a crazy one, I know. But God needs you to do this."

"You're the one who's having the baby? You had sex with a demon?"

"I didn't really have a choice. It's complicated, but boils down to having sex with the King of Hell or permanently losing my humanity. I chose to hold onto my emotions."

"You can't care for the baby?"

Marion shook her head. "My life is too dangerous. I would never be able to keep the baby safe. And we could never hand it over to its father. He'd corrupt it."

Claire nodded. "I'd have to talk to Lily. I mean, this is a big decision. There would be major planning to go through."

"You're right, but I'm confident you'll make the right choice. Of course, I'll help take care of you, all three of you. God wants to make sure she has a happy childhood in a stable home."

"Like Jesus? Is he supposed to be like Jesus?"

"I think it's a girl... and no, I'm pretty sure she won't be the new Jesus. She's just going to be something new." Marion stood, dropping a few dollars on the table. "Pray to me and I will come to you." She said, before leaving the baffled waitress alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, and Kena... I had already written the consequence, but I'm glad that my thoughts for the plot were in line with yours. :)


	19. I See Fire

Marion showed up next to Crowley, and put an angel blade to his side. Dean turned to her and went black eyed. "Don't, Dean. I can't even deal with you right now."  
     
"Come on, Marion, please. I'm still your brother. Just let Crowley go and we can talk about it."  
     
"I have a separate issue to take up with him. You... you are Sam when he came back wrong. All the brain and personality, none of the soul to filter it through. I'll deal with you when that becomes a problem. Crowley, however, needs to speak with me now. It's important."  
     
"More important than your twin becoming a demon? Dean, I have to take this. Don't wander."  
     
Marion and Crowley both appeared outside the bar in the parking lot. Crowley turned to her, amused.  
     
"What's important enough to pull me away from Dean when he so obviously needs-" Marion grabbed his hand and rested it on her lower abdomen, without a word. A shock ran through his palm and he pulled it back. "What in the seven Hells is that?!"  
     
"Exactly what you think it is. Is this reason enough to pull you away from your new protege?"  
     
"How is that even bloody possible?"  
     
"Because God likes to fuck with us. He doesn't just make new creatures anymore, Crowley. Not since the dawn of time. He forces evolution or breeds things together. Nephilim. Demon and Angel hybrid."  
       
"What are we gonna do?"  
     
"There's nothing to do but what God intended. I hope you're not suggesting anything else."  
     
"No, I mean..." Crowley sighed in exasperation. "Did you open the locket?"  
     
Marion rolled her eyes. " Yes."  
     
"And?"  
     
"And what, Crowley? What do you expect is going to happen? You're the King of Hell and you're off the juice. There is no way you feel anything of substance for me. And I can't feel for you."  
     
A moment of silence filled the air between them. "So, you tossed the gifts, then?"  
     
"What?"  
       
"You said you kept the gifts because you didn't know if they were sincere. Now you know they were, but that they came from me. You must've tossed em. Except that I can see the outline of that locket under your shirt."  
     
"Fine. I didn't, but that means nothing. What do you want from me, Crowley?"  
     
"The kid is mine, Marion. There should be no question of what I want."  
     
"What, you want to have a hand in her raising? You want a say in her upbringing, her education? Teach her how to smoke out of one vessel into another? Please. You already managed to fuck up one kid and you did that as Fergus, the drunken tailor with the soul God gave you. I can only imagine what damage you would do as Crowley."  
      
"I made up for that."  
     
"Yes, I heard. Do you really think that keeping Gavin in the 21st century is going to make up for the abuse and neglect of his childhood? It's pathetic. Listen, Crowley, I only brought you out here to have this conversation because you needed to know about the baby in case something happens to me."  
     
"Wow. You know, I don't know if I'm impressed or disgusted, sis." Dean's voice came from the door of the bar.  
     
"Dean..."  
    
"I mean, you are just fucking your way up the ladder, huh? First, Cas, then Lucifer and Michael, sweet Charlie just to get a taste of the other side and now the King of Hell, himself. Damn, I think I'm leaning toward impressed." Dean turned to Crowley. "My sister, dude? Really?"  
     
The wording seemed familiar to Marion, but she couldn't pinpoint why.  
       
Crowley shrugged. "She is an attractive piece, Dean."  
     
"So, how 'bout we put an end to all this baby bullshit and find a nice long staircase to take care of this."  
     
"That's enough, Winchester." Crowley said, moving defensively in front of Marion.  
     
"Back off, Fergus. I can take care of myself."  
     
"I'm not so sure about that, Mare. See you've got a lot of power coming off you. In waves, I'd say. But most of it is coming from that." Dean pointed to her stomach. "I don't think you could muster enough grace to turn my beer into malt liquor if you tried. What, did someone clip your wings?"   
     
"Actually..." Marion flew to the left, nearer the edge of the parking lot. "My wings work fine."  
     
"Well, look at that. You put her and Cas together, you got one whole angel. Sorry, you put her and Cas _back_ together and you got a whole angel."  
     
"You're going to make this a problem, aren't you, Dean?"  
     
Dean smiled and gave a little chuckle. "Yeah. Probably."  
     
"You know, there will come a day when you realize you still have a soul and you will want something better. You won't regret the things you've done, you won't have the capacity for it. But just like Cain and his majesty beside you, you'll realize something is missing and you'll remember that Dean Winchester was all about his family. And whether it's a hundred years or a thousand, your angel sister and your halfbreed niece or nephew are going to be the only ones you have left. Try not burn these bridges so thoroughly."  
     
"Speaking of the family business, you know Charlie became a pretty passable hunter. A little awkward, but she was like a monster encyclopedia. When she gets back from Oz, I think I'll test her knowledge of demons."  
     
"If you touch one hair on her pretty red head, I will smite you, Dean."  
     
"You don't have the juice."  
     
"Right now. God took it so I wouldn't get myself into fights that might hurt the baby. Do you think he'll leave me powerless once the baby is born and I'll need to protect it? Again, just so I know I'm clear, if you hurt Charlie or Sam or Castiel, anyone of the people I love, I will kill you. I'm not going to send you to Hell or stick you in the Devil's trap in the letters storeroom. I will bathe you in God's holy light and kill you."  
     
"I don't think you have it in you."  
     
"Cross that line where I'm sure you can't be redeemed and see how quickly I smite you."  
     
"I got an angel blade, bitch. Bring it."  
     
Marion scoffed dismissively. "You're boring me." She said, before disappearing.  
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion found it difficult to eat. She felt hunger again, and there was a need to nourish the baby and a persistent craving for tomatoes and salt, but she was just enough of an angel still that she could not taste the food. An over-stimulating feel of every distinct taste distracted from any coherent flavor that might have existed.   
     
As she sat in the bunker, picking at some chips and salsa Sam had brought her ('That's all we have for salty tomatoes') she listened to Dean shouting from the Men of Letters stacks. She took a sip of lemon and honey tea that tasted of pollen and acid and dried leaves, and she stood. It was a bad idea for her to be there.   
     
This was a dangerous place. This was one broken set of manacles away from being a horror movie. Dean was the serial killer thought to be incapacitated, who is just waiting for the protagonists to check on them. Marion couldn't resist checking any more than Jamie Lee Curtis had.  
     
"Are you comfortable?" She asked, standing just on the other side of the door frame.   
     
"What do you think? I'm chained to a fucking chair. My brother is injecting me with acid every damn hour and you are just standing there. If you know what is good for you, you'll fly me out of here. Because when Sam's little plan fails, I'm going to kill all of you." Dean growled.  
     
"Well, Dean. You don't seem to have your little angel blade anymore. And if you hurt our brother, you know that I'll kill you, so... I think you should stay in your chair."  
     
"I'll start by eviscerating you, destroying that little gift Crowley gave you, then I'll take Sam while you're trying to fix your damage, and I'll flay him, limb by limb."  
     
Marion nodded and walked away to Sam's room. "I can't stay."  
     
"What? Why? I mean, I know, it's not working as well as we hoped, but... when I finish..."  
     
"He's threatening the baby. God was specific about... the consequences if I let harm come to her. I'll keep an eye out for you. Pray if you need me, I'm still connected there, but... I can't."  
     
Sam wrapped his sister in a hug. "I get it. God chose you for this crazy baby-making mission, that's really important. So... get out of here. I'll call you if I absolutely can't handle him."   
     
"Good luck."  
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion laid down in a motel room in Kansas city, but she came to in a stone room with a cuff around her leg. An enochian warding on the cuff prevented her taking it off, or flying away. She started to pull at the chain, in hopes of getting it out of the wall.  
   
"That won't work. It's in there pretty deep and it's made to hold angels."   
     
Marion dropped the chain and turned to Crowley. "Of course, it's you. What's this all about?"  
     
"Safety, of course. You don't have the strength to protect yourself, so I'm going to do it for you. While you are in my care, no harm will come to you or the baby. You'll be well taken care of."  
     
"Are you kidding me? You kidnapped me to ensure this baby is kept safe? What kind of twisted, backward thinking..."  
     
"I'm a demon, love. Twisted is what I deal in. You can be thankful and perhaps earn some house privileges, or you can keep up the attitude and be treated like a prisoner."  
     
"If you think this will turn out to be some Stockholm-y, Beauty and the Beast bullshit, you better think again."  
     
"I've had you. So has every other villain worth a damn. This is just about keeping my progeny safe."  
     
"Oh, there he is. The asshole king of Hell. Guess the blood finally wore off. Tell me, if I told you to fuck off, like the first time we met, would that get you all hard like it did before?"  
     
Crowley smirked and reached out to smooth Marion's hair. "I hope you like it here, Mare. You've got about 6 months to learn to love it." He said before disappearing.  
     
~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion sat on the cot in the room Crowley had stuck her in. She was hungry. She didn't think Crowley knew that she'd have to eat. She wondered how long it would take for starvation to kill her. 21 days for a human but that wasn't factoring in the baby or her diminished grace. She wondered what God would do if she died. She decided not to risk it.  
     
"I doubt you've been around very many pregnant women, Crowley, but babies need sustenance, even in the womb. Bring me food!" She shouted.  
     
Her cell door opened and a bored-looking grey-beard walked forward. "Since when do angels eat?" He asked.  
     
"If I were a normal angel, I wouldn't be here, would I? A normal angel would have had an angel blade stuck in her heart. I'm special, Jeeves. Now, get me a turkey sandwich. Thick slices of tomato and sprinkle that bitch with salt."  
     
"We don't have salt." He said, disgust lacing through his words.  
     
"Well, then pop down to the store and get some. I prefer kosher but sea salt will work. Go on."  
     
The demon looked her up and down.  
     
"Trying to figure out what makes me so special? Why the king would have told you to do what I want?" The demon didn't answer. "You know how Crowley has a hard on for the Winchesters?" Still no response came. "Nice to meet you. I'm Marion Winchester. Now, get me a damn sandwich."  
     
The demon blew air through his nostrils forcefully, then stepped out of the room. He was back an hour later with a turkey sandwich on Jewish rye, tomatoes cut thick and sprinkled with salt. She smiled as her hunger satiated. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion spent several weeks bossing around the bearded demon, but she hadn't seen Crowley in almost 3 weeks when her door opened and he rushed in. He immediately sat on her cot as the door slammed behind him.   
     
"All false bravado aside, I need your help." His voice was hushed, but worried.  
     
"All faux disgust aside, what's wrong?" She said, sitting next to him. The words came easily, but as she said them, she realized she hadn't even admitted to herself that her disgust was an act.  
     
If Crowley had heard the implications, he didn't show it. "My mum is here."  
     
"Your mom? As in, the witch who birthed you? Wouldn't she be almost 400?"  
     
"I wasn't lying when I said she's a witch. Immortality spell. The point is she's alive and here and I have no clue what to do about it."  
     
"What happened?"  
      
"Got wind of a witch putting down demons. She'd taken a pair of our girls and was taking them under her wing as witches and, bonus, she was havin' a tiff with yer brothers and I got to her first. Had my men bring her here. She's chained to a wall in the sub-basement. She looks just like I remember her." He whispered in an amazed voice.  
     
Marion turned flush with Crowley. "I understand how problematic this can be for you, Crowley. You're already teetering on the edge of the humanity you gave up and you have people, your people, questioning you. I'm sure having me around isn't helping. Your little bromance with Dean was bad enough but this? But you have to wonder, what does she matter? That woman abandoned you. They put you in a work home because of her. She is the reason you became a self loathing drunk and she's the reason you sold your soul for just a little bit of confidence. She is the reason Gavin hated you. It all stems from her selfish choice to leave you behind. She's no more a mother than I am an angel. Sure, it's true by definition but not in practice."  
     
Crowley smiled, a look of relief wafting over his face. "You are absolutely right." He said, standing.  
     
"You aren't going to kill her though. Not yet." She said, looking up at him.  
     
"Why not?"  
     
"Because you're curious. You want to know how she'll act once she's figured out how powerful you've become." Marion stood. "I can help you."  
     
"And how's that?"  
     
"I'm ready to earn my house privileges. Look, we both know that woman doesn't have a maternal bone in her body. We both know she'll act like she does if she thinks you can help her. We also know she likes to take powerful, vulnerable women under her wing. I can help you keep an eye on her."  
     
"Are you ready to play nice at court? You won't try to leave?" Crowley said, raising an eyebrow.  
     
"Crowley... I may not have liked the method, but... I appreciate that I can't keep this child safe, can't keep myself out of trouble, without your help. And..." Marion looked down, suddenly finding her fingernails interesting. "I know that, sometimes the people we have to be conflict with the things that we want. But... God sent me to you, so maybe it's okay that I still wear the locket. Maybe it's okay that you brought me here to keep me safe as much as to keep her safe. Maybe we can ignore who we are every once in a while."  
       
She closed her eyes. "I promise, if you let me out, and keep your demons quiet about who and what I am, I will keep an eye on your mother and I won't leave. I don't want to. If escape was on my mind, I'd have hit up Castiel on angel radio weeks ago. Please."  
      
"All right. I'll make an announcement. No one calls you Winchester and no one says you're an angel."  
      
"Okay. One more thing. Can you get a message to Castiel for me? Tell him that I'm with you, willingly, and that I will not be answering Hannah's call to come home or his call for assistance with Dean. If you'd please remind Castiel that I am technically an archangel and that means I am actually their superior and I don't have to listen to either of them."  
     
"Gladly. I'll have my men bring you to court."  
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion stood, quietly, off to the side. Crowley sat on his throne as a crowd formed around him. "You may or may not be aware that a ginger witch was brought in several weeks ago. She's been in the subbasement. She is my mother, the woman who gave birth to me when I was human. She helped me locate a traitor in my organization and so, I am letting her out. Treat her like the queen mother, don't give attitude because no one wants to hear her whine. Also, I've let Marion out. She's going to be quiet and respectful to everyone and in return, you're going to ignore her. You won't refer to her in any descriptive way. Understand?"  
       
There was a murmur of agreement through the room, before Crowley nodded at the grey beard, who opened the door. A redhead walked forward, attempting to show grace and humility, but in Marion's eyes, she was Smaug taking the mountain. Graceful, but deadly and on a mission. Any minute she was going to start breathing fire on the king.  
     
Rowena gave a small curtsy as she stopped in front of her son's throne. "This is yore throne? It's a wee bit drab, donae think, Fergus?"   
     
~ _Well, less_ _Smaug_ _, more_ _Spyro_.~  
     
"It's Crowley, mother. And what did you expect? It's Hell. We don't collect on Martha Stewart for another 3 years. Deal with it."  
      
"I'm just trying to help you. I think it could do with a splash of colour. Maybe our tartan on the wall behind yew."  
     
"Neither of us know who my father was, so that would be a bit difficult. Now, step aside." Crowley said, waving his hand dismissively. Rowena smiled slightly and walked to the right, stopping along the wall several feet away from Marion. Rowena looked over at her, and Marion dipped her head the way Mister had taught her to do whenever someone looked at her too closely. The red head slid down the wall and turned to her.  
     
"What are yew doin' here, lass?"  
     
"I made a deal. It didn't go how I planned." Marion whispered.  
     
"They never do, do they?" Rowena said staring at Marion's belly. "A woman with child, in Hell. Sad. What was yore deal?"  
     
"I just wanted to be able to take care of her. Her father was a bastard. He... didn't ask for her."  
     
"And you sold yore soul fer her?"  
     
"No. My service. Once she's born, I have 10 years of servitude to the King. During which time, my daughter will be kept safe."  
     
"Well, what if I could help you keep her safe? I could raise her. I've got experience, and I could teach her to be a strong young lass. Always wanted a girl."  
     
Marion's stomach lurched at the thought. "That wouldn't nullify my deal. The King has found someone to take care of her." She lied.  
    
"Well, if you change your mind, I'm here. Rowena." She said, taking Marion's hand.   
     
"Bobbi."  
     
"And do you have a name for the wee one, yet? You know, there is power in a name. Naming her now might solidify your bond enough for her to easily come back to you when your deal is done."  
     
"Celeste. She's going to be called Celeste."  
     
"That's beautiful. How long do you have, dear? Maybe I can help you. Maybe I could teach you a bit of witchcraft."  
     
"I'd like that." Marion said, before looking over at Crowley's throne. Hazel-green eyes locked with hazel-red eyes from the throne. A chill ran through her. ' _He needs to pay attention at court or there will be problems_.' Marion thought, breaking the gaze and putting her hands protectively over her stomach.

******************

Crowley opened the large wooden door to the room he'd placed Marion in after moving her from the cell in the basement, and snuck in. He looked around at her furniture. She didn't need a bed or a dresser or a vanity or any of the furniture, but they needed to keep up the appearance that she was a human.

Marion smiled at him from her bed. "You gotta stop staring at me in the throne room, Crowley. Rowena might catch on. Your demons might catch on. It's better they don't."

"I know, but..." Crowley crossed the room to sit next to her on her queen bed. "...you are captivating. I get so bored with all the running Hell nonsense and I just want to... touch you." He said, turning to her and running his hand down her back.

"You asked for the job, Crowley. You fought for the honor of running that nonsense. So, maybe I should stay out of the throne room. If I'm just going to be a distraction."

"Don't you dare. I'm in charge down here, darling, and I want to be able to see you. Right now..." He started, the fingers of his left hand sliding down the buttons of her plaid shirt, popping them open slowly, one at a time. "I want to see all of you."

Marion smiled over at him. "What if someone walks in?"

"I'm the King. I can have what I want. Can't I?" He said, pulling her over shirt down her arms.

"And you want me, Your Highness?"

"Since the moment I met you." He said, brushing his fingers against the locket, making it sweep across her clavicle.

"Crowley... you know, I think..." She started, but Crowley cut her off with a kiss.

"Don't think, love. We don't need to think. We can let ourselves stop being who we have to be for now. Just... kiss me." Crowley said, pressing his lips against hers.

She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Can we just... lay here and... hold each other?"

Crowley smiled, sweetly, and wrapped his arms around her, before leaning back and letting her lay her head on his chest. She felt his chest rumble with a growl as a knock came to her door. "What?!" He shouted.

"I'm sorry, sire, but we have a situation with your mother. May I have a bit of your time, highness?" Came through the door.

Marion sat up. "Go be king. Deal with the witch." She whispered.

Crowley shook his head, then disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A knock came to Marion's door an hour later. "You are summoned to the queen mother's room."

"Me?" She asked, opening the door and looking up at Guthrie.

"I can only assume. She said, 'the pregnant lass, Bobbi'. You're the only pregnant one I know of."

Marion smiled, embarrassed. "I gave her my alias. I'm keeping an eye on her for the King. Can't let her know who I really am."

Guthrie nodded and closed her door behind her. "And why would you do that?"

"I think the term Crowley used was 'earning my house privileges'. I couldn't stand being in that cell any more. Reminded me too much of the basement I spent my first 20 years in." ' _Fake it 'til you make it, Mare.'_ She told herself.

The demon didn't say another word as they walked down the halls. As soon as Rowena saw her, she rushed over. "It took poor Guthrie a while ta get yew down here. I thought, maybe, sumthin had happened."

"No, just takes a bit longer than normal to get places. The baby belly, you know, and the ankles."

The redhead nodded, then shut her door to Guthrie's prying eyes. She grabbed Marion's hand and pulled her to a table strewn with spell components. "What... what's all this?"

"This is going to be a hex bag."

"A... hex bag? Who are you hexing?" Marion pretended she didn't have a clue.

"My no-good son. Of course, I'm not doin' it ta harm 'im. 'Hex' really isn't the best word for it. See, what we are gonae dew is make him see the demons he surrounds himself with fer what they truly are: untrustworthy, scheming, bastards, who will stab him in the back the moment they have the chance."

"You can get all that out of these tiny pieces of... bones?"

"Well, yes, those are bones, and yes, I can get all that out of these wee ingredients. It's a spell that preys on the unconscious mind, it doesn't take much."

"Do demons sleep?"

"Aye. Not much, but yes. Knowing Fergus, he'll probably doze off durin' work, so we'll put it under his pathetic excuse fer a throne."

_'Who, what, where? Check, check and check'_ , Marion thought, fumbling with a brown leather strip.


	20. Enter Sandman

Marion sat on the bed in her room. She'd sent Guthrie to find Crowley, but she was running out of patience. As she was about to leave anyway, her door opened and Crowley walked in. "What do you need, darling?"

"Time. I have to... the couple God chose to take Celeste, they're praying to me. They haven't seen me since I've been here, they're nervous. I have to go calm them."

"That's fine. I'll come with. Love to meet 'em."

Marion laughed, nervously. "Um... these women, um, they are... they're not gonna want to meet you. Demons make them nervous. Please, just..."

"Not happenin'. If you want to go, I'm coming with you. You've barely told me anything about these women and they are going to be raising my daughter. That is something I care about, even if you don't think so."

She could tell he wasn't going to back down, so she grabbed his shoulder and flew them to the little apartment in Indiana. Claire and Lily looked over at them from their couch. "Marion!" Claire said, standing. As soon as her eyes fell on Crowley, her breath caught.

Marion smiled, softly, stepping forward to take Claire's hands in her own. "I'm here."

"Is that him?" Lily whispered from her spot on the couch.

"Yes." Marion said, taking a deep breath and turning to present Crowley to the witches. "This is Crowley. Celeste's father."

"Why did you bring him?" Claire whispered.

"He insisted. He... wanted to meet you."

"You've been vetted by God and the lovely Marion, but I wanted to get my own impression of you girls. You will be raising my daughter. I should know more about you than 'lesbian witches God likes for the job'. Don't you think?" Crowley asked, looking around the living room. He stopped at their movie shelf, examining the titles. "'Clueless', really?"

"I'm sorry. He's a bit... rude sometimes."

"Is this where you plan to raise 'er?"

The witches looked between themselves. "Ye-yeah."

"No." Crowley said, looking around. "It's tiny. My daughter will need room to grow. You need something bigger."

"We can't afford-" Lily started.

"She did mention that this child is royalty, right?!" Crowley exclaimed. "If you can't afford to take care of her-" He started, walking toward the witches. Marion stepped between them.

"I'll provide housing, if you can't afford more room. She should have all the finest... everything." He finished.

"That isn't necessary." Marion said, putting her hand on his chest. "I don't want her spoiled."

"She's the heir to Hell. You don't want her spoiled? You're kidding."

"I am not. I had a modest upbringing, just as my brothers did. It makes us more down to earth. It makes us better people."

"She's not a person! She's a nephilim. She's a bloody princess! She should have-"

"No. She shouldn't _have_. Just because she's Hell royalty doesn't mean she needs to be an entitled brat. She will have nothing and like it." Marion pulled her hand back.

"I had nothing. I had nothing worse than you. I had nothing _400 years ago_ and I never liked it!"

Marion pulled her lips tight together. "I know. I know, Crowley, but... I don't want her to grow up knowing money. We can provide things, we can give them a larger residence, but I don't want her to have all the finest. Okay?"

Crowley nodded and Marion smiled, sweetly before turning to the witches. "Crowley is right. It is a bit small. We will have to find you a house. A proper house with a yard. I never got to run around in the sun when I was young, but... God says people are built to need sunlight and fresh air. I assume she'll have a similar design."

"I'll have my people get right on that. Anything else you might need? Crib, clothes, one of those special rubbish bins for diapers?"

The witches looked between each other and shook their heads. "No. I, uh, think we're good." Claire answered.

"Right. Nice meeting you. Might want to start packing. We'll have a new place for you soon." Crowley said, before snapping his fingers and disappearing. Marion smiled at the women before flying back to Hell.

"I'm sorry about that, Crowley." She said, stepping to him.

He turned and wrapped his arms around her. "I just want her to have everything I never had. Everything I deprived Gavin of."

"I think a set of parents who love her is a good place to start, don't you?"

"That's a lot more than I ever had." Crowley said, before placing a kiss on her forehead. "You know, she'll have it twice as good as I did. Two sets of parents who love 'er."

Marion leaned her head up and captured Crowley's lips in a gentle kiss. "We will be amazing parents by proxy."

"Yeah, we will." He agreed with a chuckle.

******************************************************  
        
Marion found herself in a semi-familiar black landscape. Fear hit her stomach.

"Wow! Pregnant looks good on you! Who would have thought?" Marion turned to Lucifer, who was smiling at her and dragging his eyes down her body.

"I'm... confused."

"You're... asleep." He said, mocking the cadence of her words.

Her brow furrowed. "Asleep?"

"I know. It's been a long time since you had to sleep. Your mostly-human body must have just gotten too tired to fight your pregnancy exhaustion. You look great. Who would've known this would be my fetish?" He said suddenly.

"Look, I remember who you are, Lucifer. I remember what you did to me . Do you think I'm going to fall for your charm again?"

"I could hope. I'm lonely, and you are just great. Such a good soldier. Went and got pregnant by the King of Hell just 'cause God wanted it." Lucifer put his hand on her belly. "I could take great pleasure in turning you against Him."

"She isn't yours to turn."

"I was talking to you. Come on! You can't deny our chemistry. And your programming has been mostly replaced. You are almost yourself again, with the added benefit of being an angel now. Who gave you that benefit? Me."

"You couldn't turn me against God. I may not have been there when Our Father created humans and you rebelled, but I was there when you promised to kill everyone on Earth. I was there when you sent a demon to take over my body and use it to watch my brothers. I was there when you faked a friendship with me so that you could convince me to pull you out of the Pit, an action that could have killed me long before the marks you placed on my soul had the chance to do their work. And I was there when you drove my baby brother insane from the Pit, making him question everything in existence."  
         
Lucifer grinned, proudly. "You have to admit that was clever, though!"

"It had nothing to do with cleverness, and if I hadn't been overwhelmed with grief over Castiel's supposed death, I would have figured out your parlor trick back then. Driven insane by your torture in the Cage, he was in a waking dream state, which you exploited to invade his consciousness. It was one step above what you are doing to me now."

"You know, I told Sam all about the marking ceremony. When you asked him, I gave details. Honest to a fault, you know me." Lucifer shrugged as Marion showed her disgust. "And when you abandoned us, I had to keep busy somehow. I told him everything. How you taste, how much you liked it when I pulled your hair, the bite marks I left on your... well, let's just say, baby brother knows all about your kinks, Mare-bear."

"Are we friends, Luci? Drop the cute nickname. I'm not so starved for attention that that's gonna win me over this time. I have family, I have God. I'm at a good place with Sam, and once I have this baby, Dean and I can atone for our slights against each other. I don't need you."

"You forget to mention your demon boy-toy on purpose? Yeah, I know about those meaningful glances you two have been exchanging, the sweet words you shared about the person you have to be conflicting with the things you want. Come on, if you're gonna get in bed with evil, at least make sure he's the same species."

"Yeah, because a demon who used to be a human is so much different than an angel who used to be a human."

"He will never be human again, and he will never be an angel. You are better than him."

"Wow. You really _are_ lonely. Chatting up another guy's pregnant girlfriend."

"Do you think he would call you that, Mare?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does. See, you have a habit of believing in a relationship with very little real evidence. You think Charlie really loved you? You think Castiel ever cared? Of course not. Why would they? You were a 35 year old infant when I found you."

"Lucifer plants the doubt and waits for it to bloom. Charlie loved me. She was amazing and nice. She didn't care about my money or my body. She waited patiently. And love is patient and love is kind, is it not?"

"I was patient with you."

"But you were never kind."

There was a moment of silence before Lucifer clicked his tongue. "I dunno. I think I liked the old dynamic better. When you were begging for a friend and were just so happy to be around me."

"Then, you shouldn't have called me a monkey to my face... with my face. You shouldn't have marked me. You should've left me a 35 year old infant. But then you wouldn't have been able to get what you wanted out of me."

Lucifer nodded. "You're right, of course. You've always been the smart one. But, now, what do we do for the rest of the time you are asleep?"

Marion pulled away from his touch. "Don't."

Strong hands grabbed her hips and pulled her back against his body. "Come on, Marion. We both know that I was the best you've ever had. Better than my brother. Better than that lackluster roll in the sheets with Castiel. And, I know Crowley gave me a run for my money, he's a demon, they take a lot of time with the pleasures of the flesh, but... I know I did it better." He whispered in her ear.

Marion grabbed both of his thumbs and pulled his hands off of her. "Don't touch me, Lucifer." She walked forward and turned. "And for the record, Charlie was the best."

**********-**************-**************

Marion woke up in her bed, Crowley sitting next to her, staring down. "You okay, Pony?" He asked, softly.

She liked this Crowley. He wasn't quite the demon King of Hell, but he wasn't quite Fergus, the human tailor, either. He was a powerful, scary man, who just happened to feel like family to her.

She nodded, sitting up and pushing her hair out of her face. "I... dreaming is... disconcerting. I haven't... Lucifer was there." She finished.

"What did he say?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course, it does. Look at you. You were shaking. You aren't rested. What did you dream?"

"He... made me question."

"Question?"

"What are we doing here, Crowley? I'm an angel. You're... not. We share kisses and sneak away to pretend we aren't who we are. You have little nicknames for me that fill me with happiness. I'm 5 months pregnant with your daughter, but no one in your... kingdom knows you're about to have an heir. I want to think you could give a damn about me, but... you're a demon. So, what are we doing?"

"I..." Crowley stood. "Lucifer invaded yer dreams to convince you to... break up with me?" He said the last few words slowly, like he wasn't sure they were the right words.

"He wanted me to question. Like I didn't do with Castiel. Like I didn't do with him. So, I'm questioning."

"You know it's more complicated than that. Don't act like you don't. I am the King of Hell. You are... a hunter. You are an angel. Anything we have... has to be hidden. I can't tell my demons that you are carrying my child, because they know who you are. Would you have told yer brothers? If Dean hadn't overheard you tellin' me, would either of them know? Does Castiel know?"

Marion hung her head. "I would have hidden until the birth, then ignored her existence after I handed her off."

"So, get off your high horse, darling. This is us. We hide from the people who'd judge us harshest. We hold each other when we can. We imagine a world where we could be together and raise Celeste... together, but we don't pretend this is simple. Because it never will be."

Marion nodded, then smiled. "You called her 'Celeste'. You haven't done that, before."

Crowley chuckled. "Look. Unorthodox though we may be, I think we are good together. I like what we have. Don't question a good thing."

Marion nodded, standing and wrapping her arms around Crowley's chest. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.


	21. Baby Blue

Marion watched through a crack in the door as Rowena inked spells onto her skin. She recognized several of the markings, enough of them to know that the spell was a death knell for someone, probably her brother based on Rowena's recent rants. She flew to the throne room and leaned down next to Crowley's ear. "I need to speak to you, my king. At your earliest possible convenience." She whispered, before flying to her room.

Crowley joined her very soon after. "Rowena has drawn sigils all over herself. I think she's going to try to kill someone."

"Any idea who?"

"Dean or Sam. She's been bitching about them a lot lately. She thinks they are a bad influence on you. Or rather, a good one."

Crowley placed his hands on her belly. "No more good influence than you and... Celeste." He leaned down and kissed her belly. "Such a beautiful influence."

He stood. "It's almost time, isn't it?"

Marion nodded. "I'd like to leave, Crowley. I need to be out there so I can give birth in the hospital. I also... want to see my brothers. I've missed them."

Crowley brought his hand up to caress her cheek. She leaned into his touch. "You call me. As soon as the contractions start, darling. Understand? Not when they get 2 minutes apart, not when you get to the hospital. As soon as they begin."

She smiled. "Of course." She put her hand over his and squeezed, lightly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Crowley whispered.

Marion kissed him, lightly, then disappeared.

*******************************************

Marion knocked hard on the heavy bunker door and waited. The metal hinges groaned as the door opened to reveal her twin. He huffed out a relieved breath and tucked his gun into the back of his pants. He smirked and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, sister, it is good to see you."

"It's been a while." She said, as one of his hands dropped to her belly.

"You must be about to pop, right?"

"Any day now. And I am soooo ready to be done with this pregnancy." Marion said, as the baby began to kick.

"Damn! That's a hunter kick if I ever felt one."

"Maybe. Crowley kinda has his heart set on her taking up _his_ mantle."

"Over my dead body. Kid's a Winchester. She's gonna be with us."

"Not for a while. When she's older, maybe, but... God picked a couple to raise her until she's old enough to be around us. Our lifestyle isn't good for babies." She said walking into the bunker.

Dean shut the door behind him. "Well, are they gonna teach her to fight? Shoot? Anything that will be worth a damn in the field?"

"Dean, right now, we're at them feeding her, changing diapers, making sure she has a good childhood."

"Yeah, all right. Sam! Charlie! Look what I found!" Dean yelled, leading Marion down the stairs into the main room.

Sam walked in from the kitchen and smiled. "Hey."

"Hi, Sasquatch." She said, hugging him with one arm.

"Wow. You look like you swallowed a planet."

"Thanks. No, it's mostly been tea and steak and caviar and... there was a horrible incident where Fergus made me try haggis. No, thank you."

"Fergus? You callin' him by his real name?" Dean asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, he is the father of my child, I can't just call him by his demon name, can I?"  
        
"Marion!" Charlie exclaimed as she rushed into the room.  
       
"Charlie."  
       
"Wow. That whole 'Winchesters don't die' thing really is true. I thought you were dead." Charlie looked down. "Are you pregnant?"  
     
"Oh... It is a really long story. But you're a hunter now. I might actually be able to explain this to you. Wanna have a cup of coffee?"  
     
They walked away from her brothers and went to the kitchen, pouring coffee and sitting at the table. "So, you remember that I said I made a deal with the devil? Well, my ex, when he brought the leviathans out of purgatory, he betrayed us. The entire event was a betrayal and it...well, it pissed me off. It broke me. So, I pulled Lucifer and Michael out of hell, let them use me as a vessel, in exchange for Cas' death. To pull and hold two archangels, they had to mark my soul. They didn't tell me what that meant and I didn't care. At the time, I wanted him dead, any means necessary. Well, it turns out, the marking system is a way to make new angels. I was able to hold the two archangels because they had begun the process of turning me into one."  
     
"Sounds like the plot of a YA novel."  
      
"Well, it turned out to be Fear Street. What you saw, the nausea, the dizziness, that was my body being pulled toward heaven. I fought it off as long as I could. But when I got upstairs... It was so much worse."  
      
"I know. Heaven is full of dicks. I read the Supernatural stories. You weren't in them."  
    
"Because I was never supposed to be written back in. God wrote me out in the prequel. It was Zachariah who went back and changed everything. Chuck was just writing it the way God wanted." Marion smiled to herself. "But Heaven is worse than just dicks with wings. I was tortured. Mostly because digging in my brain was the best way to give me new information, but I think part of it, part of why they were so merciless was because of all the things my brothers and I fucked up for them."  
      
Charlie looked horrified, so Marion smiled brightly. "Naomi, that's the angel who was in charge of my reprogramming, she got a drill in her eye the night of the Fall. If there is only one good thing I can say about Metatron, it's that he killed that bitch and saved me from the rest of that."  
      
"So, you came out okay from that?"  
      
"Not initially. Naomi took my emotions. And a lot of my memories. When Metatron found me, right before the Fall, I was strapped down to basically a holy dentist's chair. I didn't know my name. I had forgotten that I used to be human. I forgot Mister and Missus' names. I only remembered my brothers because I worked to keep Dean's memories."  
      
"Dean's memories?"  
      
"Oh, right. Detour. So, when Sam and Dean came to get me from the hospital, they had to explain... everything. And to save time and make sure I actually believed them, Castiel just gave me Dean's memories. Anyway, Metatron kept me around to use me against my brothers and Castiel. So, I got to hang out in Heaven longer than the other angels, but... I'm a Winchester and we don't sit quietly. I told Metatron to fuck off and left Heaven willingly. God found me after and sent me to Crowley to get my head fixed. Crowley wouldn't do it unless I slept with him. Thus continues the long tradition of men using my body."  
      
"So that's Crowley's?"  
    
"Yep."  
      
"And you're keeping it?"  
      
"Well, God sent me there, Char. He wanted this child to be born. I won't raise it. I've already found a nice pair of white witches who are having trouble adopting in their state. Indiana isn't very nice to the rainbow crowd. They will be able to handle a supercharged baby."  
      
"And they know it's... Basically the antichrist?"  
     
"It's half holy and half demonic. That's not antichrist. That is nephilim. And yes. They know and are up to the challenge."  
     
"So... Sorry... They document everything about babies these days. Kid won't have a social or anything."  
      
"No one documented my death, Charlie. I'm having her in a hospital. I'm going to do this adoption on the books. Barbara Deanna Singer is going to give up... I was going to name her Celeste. They'll probably change it, but..."  
      
"You're naming your half demon baby after me? Aww. That's so sweet."  
     
The two laughed. Marion looked around. "When I told you to take the money and run, Charlie, why didn't you?"  
     
"Well, I did, at first, but then your brothers showed up at the battle of the moon and people were dying again and there was this hot elf chick (totally awesome kisser) and Dean reminded me so much of you... It felt like I was honoring your memory by being a hunter."  
    
"No, you idiot. It would have been honoring me to do what I asked! Dying request, take my cash and forget us. I never wanted this for you, Charlie. I never wanted you to look in a mirror and see all the people you'd failed, all the ones you'd killed. I never even wanted you to know what was really out there." She sighed, deeply. "The only saving grace is that you are really good at the job."  
   
"I know, right!? I mean, you shoulda seen me in Oz! Dorothy taught me all about some sword fighting. It was like, Inigo Montoya, bitches!" Charlie said, making broad swooshes through the air with her hand.  
     
"I know. I saw."  
     
"What do you mean, you saw?"  
        
"That's the thing about being a super powerful, sometimes invisible being with a knowledge of extra-dimensional travel. Sometimes you end up spying on your ex to make sure Judy Garland is treating her right."  
         
"Wow."  
      
"You were already in Oz by the time I left Heaven. I just... had to be sure."  
     
"It's okay. I understand."  
      
"You looked... happy there."  
     
"Oh. Oz was great... except for the war and the evil witches and the wizard and the whole breaking myself in half and watching me, you know... kill the opposition."   
       
"I'm sorry that had to happen."  
      
"It's cool."  
     
Marion took a drink of her coffee and looked around the bunker. " So... You've met Castiel? I can feel he's been around here."  
    
"Yeah, he's cool. He healed my carpal tunnel... and that bullet wound."  
     
"Bullet wound?"  
     
"Yeah, I'm fine. It was this thing with the Book of the Damned. Those guys are gone, though."  
        
Marion looked down. She wanted to yell and be angry. She was angry at herself for not protecting Charlie. But Charlie had made her own choices and Marion didn't have a say in Charlie's life anymore.  
     
Charlie reached her hand over and clasped Marion's. "This is hard for you. It's kinda hard for me, too. When you died, I thought you were the only thing I ever wanted. You and a three-way with ScarJo, but then you died and I found real purpose hunting with your brothers. Dean helped me get over my mom's death. I found love in Oz. Then she cheated on me, but... You aren't dead and you obviously ended up forced to have a thing with the king of hell. So, where does that leave us?"  
     
"I can't ask you to be with me, Char. I'm an immortal... thing. I'm never gonna die, never gonna age. I stopped aging 3 years ago. You're gonna catch up to me in 3 more and then, you'll just keep aging. You should find someone... someone who will live and die like you. I love you, Charlie, but things couldn't work with us."  
      
"I'm a hunter. I'm not expecting to grow old... but I see your point."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The contractions were more than she was expecting. With her angelic physiology, she assumed labor would be a breeze. She was wrong. A week of near bed-rest after Charlie left the bunker hadn't done anything to ease the pain. She slumped against the table in the library and let out a heavy breath.

"You okay?" Dean asked, walking up.

"I... think I'm going into labor, Dean."

Panic fell across Dean's features. "Are you sure? Did your water break?"

"Not yet, but the contractions have started and they are... strong. Very strong. I need you to call Crowley. I have to text Claire."

"Are you kidding me? You want a demon with you in Delivery?"

"He's the father and I promised I'd let him know, Dean, so pick up your damn phone!" She growled at him through the pain.

Dean pulled his cell out without any other argument. "Crowley, Marion said to call. Yeah. I don't know how far apart. Judging by her demeanor, 5 minutes."

"Tell him to meet me at the hospital, the one we preregistered at."

"She said meet her at the hospital you preregist-"

Crowley was suddenly in front of Marion. "If you think I'm going to let you fly alone while you're in labor, you're insane." He said, helping her up and wrapping one of her arms around his neck.

Dean put his phone in his jacket pocket and raised an eyebrow at them. "You guys look pretty close for a sperm donor and an incubator."

"Oh, bite me, Winchester. Back off. I'm about to be a dad again." Crowley said, before placing a kiss on Marion's brow.

She smiled and the two disappeared in a flutter.

***********************************

Crowley made her sit in a wheelchair and wheeled her into the ER. "She's in labor. We already registered her. Barbara Deanna Singer. Birth date: 1/24/79." Crowley told the receptionist. The woman smiled and pulled up the file.

"Okay. Let me just get you your wristband and we'll get you up to Labor and Delivery."

Marion grabbed Crowley's hand as another contraction went through her. "Oh, my god!"

"Lighten up on that grip, Pony. I'd like to keep that hand." Crowley said, bringing the back of her hand up to his lips and placing a kiss there.

"Oh, shut up, Fergus. This fucking hurts." She groaned.

"Imagine what Gavin's mother had to go through." He mumbled as the receptionist put a white band around Marion's wrist.

"Don't talk to me about your ex-wife right now! I'm about to have 8 pounds of flesh and bone pushing out of me and I don't want to hear about your first kid!"

Crowley chuckled as a nurse grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and pushed it toward an elevator. "It's amazing how a little bit of pain can turn you from a perfect angel to an angry little demon."

She turned her head, sharply. "A little bit of pain?! Fergus Roderick MacLeod, I have been in pain. I have been through a _lot_ of pain in my life. This is not a _little bit of pain_! This is Naomi times 10, every two minutes! So, shut up!"

Crowley laughed as the elevator opened and let them out on the third floor. "Relax, darling. You're the strongest woman I've ever met. If you could get through that torture, you can get through this torture."

Marion sighed. "Sorry."

"Sweetheart, don't apologize. You're about to give birth to my Princess. Growl whatever obscenities at me that you need."

**************************

The first squeaky cry of Celeste Isabella Singer came as a voice hit Marion's brain. _Marion. I hope you can hear this. Oh, please don't be mad. We were trying to help Dean and the Stynes found me. I don't regret it because I figured it out though. Rowena can do the spell now. We can save Dean. Dean is more important than me. I'm happy that we can relieve him of the Mark. Don't do anything stupid about my death, okay? I still love you, you know. Always._

Tears rolled down her face as a nurse handed her the baby. "6 pounds, 8 ounces. She just made 19 inches. Gorgeous."

Marion nodded as Crowley leaned over her. "You okay?" She shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not... 100%. I'll let you know when I get out of here."


	22. Grace Under Pressure

It took a few days to get the adoption squared away, but as soon as she was available, Marion confirmed her worst fears. She sat in front of the burnt funeral pyre and cried.

"I'm sorry. I know how important she was to you." A familiar voice said as boots crunched beside her. 

"Is she... did she make it home?"

"Of course, she did. Right now, she's upstairs LARPing Moondor." Chuck said, putting a hand on Marion's shoulder.

"I didn't want her to be a part of this. I told her to... she was so young, so much potential."

"I know."

"Can I bring her back?" Silence was her answer. She nodded. "I knew that was too much to ask. Can I, at least, have my grace back?"

"Of course. Why do you think I'm here?"

Marion closed her eyes against the feeling of grace welling up in her again. It was almost comforting. "Thank you, Chuck." She said, standing.

"You're gonna be okay."

"Really? Did you write that, Chuck?"

Chuck just looked down, before disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam walked into the distillery with a bag of food for Rowena, but she wasn't at the table he'd chained her to. She was hiding behind a pillar, the chain pulled as tight as it would go. Hiding from Marion, who was sitting cross legged on the table. Her hair was hanging in her face and her angel blade was shining in her lap.  
     
"Marion?" Sam asked, cautiously approaching.  
     
"I wouldn't, Samuel. Give her space." Rowena warned.  
     
"I had the baby. My grace is back. If I wanted, you wouldn't be safe. I could kill you both from here."  
     
"What's the..."  
     
"I never stopped loving her, you know? That beautiful redhead nerd. Even when I couldn't feel anything, I _knew_ that I loved her. And you... you got her killed."  
     
"Marion, I..."  
     
"Should've thrown that book in the fire like Dean told you to? Should've let someone shield it from these Stynes? Should've never put Charlie in that position?" Marion finally looked up, her eyes swollen and puffy. A ring of bright blue surrounded her irises.   
     
"Wait a second. Yer an angel, right? Can't you just go up to Heaven and be with her?" Rowena asked, genuinely curious.  
     
"I didn't answer Hannah's call home. I'm to be turned away at the gates if I show up. I could massacre those who try to keep me from her, but... she's probably happier up there."  
     
"Marion, I'm so sorry. I know how you felt about her, I loved her too, but we were trying to protect Dean. Trying to get that Mark off of his arm. Charlie knew what she was signing up for."  
     
"No one ever knows what they're signing up for in this game, Sam. You know, she prayed to me, while Eldon Styne was killing her. She told me that she doesn't regret anything, because at least now you can save Dean. Her death won't be in vain. She felt Dean's life was more valuable than her own. And so do you. She survived leviathans and djinns and the Wicked Witch and Ozian civil war... and you get her killed over a god damned book!" Marion stood, suddenly, causing Rowena to flinch behind her pillar and Sam to take a step back.   
     
"So, what's the plan? That hex bag over there, who's that for?"  
     
"Crowley." Sam answered as Rowena put her hands up to try to stop him from answering. "What?"  
     
"She's gonna warn him now. She was living with him. She's on his side!"  
     
"I'm on God's side, witch, and I won't have another word out of you! I was a prisoner there. I don't give a damn about your son."  
    
"Yew, a prisoner? Then, why were yew spyin' on me for him?"  
     
"How do you think I convinced that monster to let me go? Lucky for me, you gave me the juicy info I needed in time for me to have my daughter in a hospital. And then, I leave the hospital and find the love of my human life is dead in some half-brain scheme."  
     
"And where is the wee one? Did ya leave her with the fosters my son picked?"  
     
"Crowley didn't pick them. God did. She'll be happy with them. Someone should be." Marion walked forward. "I told Dean, back when he was running around with Crowley all black-eyed, that if he harmed a single beautiful red hair, I would kill him. Tell me, what should I do with you?"  
     
"Look. I know, okay, I get it, but I had to try. I had to try to stop him. I had to try to save him."  
     
"I know. I understand. I get it." Marion said mockingly. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SHIT!" She shouted.  
     
"She was the best thing that ever happened to me. And you pulled her into a plan that got her killed. It wasn't bad enough that you got her into hunting, that you sent her after that book in the first place, but you bring her back into this so the Stynes can get to her? I should rip you apart! I should take the witch who forced her to flee and drop her from the Sear's Tower."  
     
"I need her. She's the only one who can perform the spell." Sam said.   
    
"Well... Too much of me must be Dean, because I just can't bring myself to put down family."   
     
"Is that toward me, or your baby's grandmother?" Sam asked, causing Rowena to raise an eyebrow.  
     
"Both. You have a week. If you haven't fixed Dean by then, I will take the book and the Codex and any pictures you have of them." Marion said before disappearing.  
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     
Marion appeared in Crowley's throne room, where he stood growling at his minions. "Get out, peasants." She ordered the demons.   
     
The demons looked from Crowley to her and back. "Well, you heard her! Out."  
     
As the demons scurried out, Crowley moved over to stand right in front of her. "You've been crying. What's wrong, sweet?" He wiped the thumb of his right hand under her eye.  
    
"Charlie is dead. Sam got her killed trying to save Dean from the Mark."   
     
Crowley's look turned wary. "You here to put me down for putting the Mark on 'im?"  
     
"No. But your mummy dearest has commissioned my little brother to take you out in exchange for her performing the spell Charlie got killed over. I can't lose you too."  
     
"Moose is gonna take me on? Please."  
     
"This is serious, Fergus. Rowena is making a hex bag. They mean to kill you."  
     
"So, how should we-" Crowley cut himself off as Marion pulled out a Sharpie and unbuttoned his dress shirt.   
     
"Its an enochian protection sigil. It's not strong enough to be noticeable but it will give you an edge against the hex bag. Sam will use a Devil's Trap. Am I right that, for you, a normal Devil's Trap..."  
     
"Breakable." Crowley said, buttoning up his shirt. He reached out and grabbed her hand as she put the Sharpie marker in her pocket. "Thank you. I know this isn't..."  
     
"Just don't kill my brother. Please."  
     
He raised a hand to her face and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Anything for the mother of my child. I'll let Moose live. Can't promise the same for mother."  
     
"Fuck that ginger whore. Let her die a thousand times."  
     
The growl amused him. "Starting to sound like a demon, love."  
     
"Maybe that's best. I'm a Winchester after all. We're about as close to the demon side of the Heaven versus Hell debate as heroes can get. Remember, don't kill him."

Crowley didn't let her move away, wrapping his left arm around her waist. "Thanks again for the heads up, Pony. I know ours isn't a conventional relationship, but I wouldn't want anyone else beside me."

Marion smiled, sadly. "You know, I think that is the only reason I trust this relationship, Crowley. Every relationship I've had that played at being normal ended horribly. And here you are, putting on no airs with me, never pretending to be anything else than who you are... these days, anyway."

He smiled and pressed his lips to her cheek. "Normal is overrated."

"I love you, Crowley." She sighed and pulled out of his grasp. "I have to go."


	23. Don't Stop Me Now

Marion was standing outside the bunker when Dean walked out, covered in blood. "You should have called me."

"Didn't really feel like having an angel babysitter."

"Oh, you think I want to stop you. No, I wanted to help."

"You wanted to help me on my rampage through the Styne family? Sounds a bit evil for you, don't you think?"  
    
"You know what I've learned over the last few years, Dean? Through my transformation from clueless to hunter to angel to the King of Hell's baby's momma... Good and Evil are illusions. They don't exist. They are constructs in the mind of mortals to make it all make sense. If you look at it objectively, all it is, all of it, is Darwinism. Everything is the science of survival. Demons are just souls who evolved to get themselves above the torture they were subjected to in Hell. So what if some of them thrive and end up doling out torture in return? The vampires, the shifters, the lycans, they are just following their natural impulses. Vamps will always drink blood, wraiths will always suck out people's brains with a straw and rougarus will always turn. It's their nature. 

But look at us, Dean. If evil existed, it would be a Winchester. We're fucking liches. Just won't die. We refuse to let each other die. Let's do a rundown. 4 year old hit by a car, nope!" She held up a finger. "Sammy stabbed in the back, nope. Dean dies over and over at the mystery spot, nope. Dean goes to Hell, nope. Sammy and Dean get blasted by a pair of hunters, nope. Sammy says yes to Lucifer and hops into the pit, nope." Marion looked down at her hands, before wiggling her 6 raised fingers.   
        
"Dean gets turned into a vamp, nope." Another finger. "Marion lets 2 angels mark her and gets sent to heaven, nope. Sammy succumbs to the poison of the trials, nope. Dean gets killed by Metatron, nope. Damn, Dean, I'm out of fingers. We are not natural. We are evil."  
    
"Wow. Crowley really twisted your mind, huh?"

"Says the man who just butchered the only member of the Styne family worth saving."

"He was one of them. He deserved to-"

"He was _Sam_. Bookworm born into a family that just wont let him be alone with his books. And you didn't even give him a chance to rise above his heritage."

Dean's face showed his rage as he pushed past her. "He wasn't Sam." He growled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion appeared in Crowley's throne room. He was sitting on his throne, his feet up on one of his minions back like an ottoman. "You look well." She said, as he kicked his foot out to push the demon over.

"Your brother shot me." He said, standing. "Devil's Trap bullet. If you hadn't put that sigil on me, I'd be gone right now."

She walked forward, pushing his demon out of the way with her grace. She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled her head against his chest. "I'm so glad you survived."

"Don't get sentimental on me, Pony." Crowley said, pulling back from her. "The thing is, if I died, no one knows I have an heir. Not that she could rule, yet. So, who would take over?"

Marion shook her head. "I don't know." 

"I need to name someone. Someone powerful enough to make demons run scared, smart enough not to fuck it up, someone with the best interests of Celeste at heart, to run Hell until she's old enough. Who's that remind you of?"

"You can't be serious." Marion said.

"You're the only one I'd trust with it, darling."

"Crowley... babe, I'm an angel and a hunter. Do you think your demons would listen to me for more than 5 seconds before I have my own Abbadon issue?"

"Lucifer was an angel, too, pet. And you wouldn't let that happen. You'd take down any rebels without issue. I know you would. For Celeste, for our empire. So, what do you say? Are you willing to be my... queen?"

Marion couldn't find words. "You're going to tell your... Hell, everyone about us?"

"I don't have to tell them everything. But I have to tell them that you will be my queen, that you will be in charge if anything ever happens to me. Which is increasingly likely the longer my mother is around. Your answer?"

Marion scoffed and ran a hand through her hair. "This is a rather unromantic marriage proposal, Fergus." She shook her head, deep in thought. "Marion Winchester, Queen of Hell. That's got a... weirdly wonderful ring to it."

"Not as wonderful as this one." Crowley said, pulling a small ring box out of his pocket and handing it to her. Marion opened the black box and gasped. "I didn't take you for a diamond girl. Ruby with emerald accents seemed more your style."

"I hate diamonds. The whole industry is a sham." She whispered, pulling the white gold ring from the box and slipping it on her left ring finger. "It fits."

"Course it does. You think I wouldn't check your size first?"

"Were you... you planning this before?"

"I was considering it. This event has forced my hand." Crowley said, gently taking her hand and kissing it. "How 'bout we make that announcement, Pony?"

"Only the inner court. I don't want a blanket announcement to the whole of Hell."

"Anything for you, your majesty." Crowley said, hooking his arm with Marion's and walking toward the throne.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Crowley was summoned by Castiel, Marion showed up in the bushes first, in case it was an ambush. Crowley walked toward Castiel eyeing the markings and the bowl on the ground at the crossroad. He sighed. "Who summons anymore? Couldn't you call?"

"You're not in my contacts list." Castiel answered.

"What?" Crowley demanded.

"I need your assistance to help cure Dean of the Mark."

"What's the expression? 'I gave at the office'?" He threw a look to Marion, still hidden in the brush. "Maybe I'd feel a little different if Sam Winchester hadn't just tried to bloody kill me!" He shouted.

"I'm afraid 'no' is not an acceptable answer." Castiel said, threateningly.

"Or what?" Marion asked, walking out onto the road.

Castiel seemed a little thrown by her sudden appearance, but he raised a hand to punctuate his threat. "Or..."

"That's right. Burn those eyes blue. Spread those broken wings and destroy me!" He shouted. "Or..."

"Do it our way." Marion finished.

Castiel looked a bit helpless as he lowered his hand, knowing he couldn't smite the King. "Right. Now beg." Crowley demanded.

"What?"

"Blast me, or beg."

"Crowley."

"King!"

The angel obviously didn't deal with annoyance well, because he showed it as his body tightened and he said, "King. If you, if you would, if you would be so kind... the three ingredients on this list."

Crowley held the list where Marion could see it as he went over the contents. "'Forbidden fruit'. Well, for starters, it's a quince, you dummy, not an apple. No problem. 'Golden Calf'... or what's left of it. Check. 'Something Rowena loves'?"

"I would've thought it would've been you, but..." Castiel began.

"Spare me. I've lived it."

"Well..." Castiel asked, awkwardly.

Crowley looked over his shoulder at Marion, who nodded. "We're in." He said, before disappearing.

Marion stayed on the road, watching as Castiel started to clean up the pieces of the summoning spell. "Why are you with him?" Castiel asked, picking up the bowl.

"Why are you and Sam with Rowena?" She countered. She reached down to touch the road, making the markings disappear. "I go where he goes."

"And why is that?"

Marion squared off with the other angel. "Because I love him, Castiel. He's the only consistent thing I have in my life."

"You love him? He's a demon." There was rage in his voice.

"Yes, but when you share something like we have, it's hard to see things as just black or white. I see the depth of his caring, much deeper than anything you ever shared with me."

"What have you shared?"

"You don't know about Celeste? I honestly thought one of my brothers would have mentioned her."

"Who is Celeste?"

"She's a new brand of nephilim, Cas. Half me, half him. She's gorgeous and she will be so powerful."

"You had a child with Crowley?"

"God willed it. And he's never told me to stay away from Crowley, not like he instructed with you."

"How could you-"

"Please, spare me. What I have with Crowley, it isn't easy. But it's more real than what I had with you."

"What about Charlie? You can't think that it's..."

"You don't talk about her! You should have been watching her! You should have been protecting her! It's your fault she's dead!" He flinched as she shouted. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Don't screw him over on this, Castiel. You screw him over and you're screwing me over. I won't take it well."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion sat on her throne. It was plain, made of a dark hardwood. She'd told Crowley it needed to be smaller than his, that it needed to be placed further back than his, but when she'd walked into his throne room, it was identical to his in size and placed right next to his.

Crowley had left to find the ingredients for the spell and deliver them to Rowena, so Marion was listening to the complaints of the court, most of them being about the recent rumors of the Darkness and the feral noises that had come out of the Cage less than an hour before. "We're scared. We all heard the sounds from the Cage. And you don't seem to care much more than the King does! Where even is he? I can't believe he would leave _you_ in charge in his absence."

Marion sighed and stood. "You're right." The demon in front of her got a smug look on his face as she walked up to him "I don't care. I don't care about your well-being. I don't care about your happiness. This is HELL!" She shouted, her angel blade sliding out of her sleeve.

"Just because you've been upgraded to demon doesn't mean you get to bitch about what's happening! You are the reason you are here. The lot of you, whiny ungrateful imbeciles, you need to remember yourselves. You are demons! You aren't royalty, you aren't Knights of Hell, you aren't _anything_ but souls twisted by torture." She turned to address the whole inner court. "I am your Queen. Crowley is your King. We are in these positions because of the power we wield. I don't want to hear you moan about the state of Hell. If there's something to do with the Cage we will deal with it. Do you understand?!"

There were murmurs of agreement through the throne room, including the demon who'd been bitching at her. **_*Marion! Help... me.*_** came through on angel radio. Marion looked around the room. "Get out of here. You can try again when the King returns." Marion said, before flying to answer Castiel, in a shed a hundred miles away from the bunker. He was feral, blood leaking from his eyes.

"Marion." His voice was full of pain as he grasped at her arms.

"What happened to you?"

"Rowena. She... did a spell. Sent me after Crowley. I killed him, but it won't stop."

Castiel was crashing into the wall of the shed before he knew what was happening. "You bastard!" He stood on shaky legs as rage coursed through him. "He was all I had left! You let that bitch control you to take him away from me?!"

"Please... I can't... I don't want to..."

"You couldn't hurt me, if you tried. Where, Castiel? Where did you murder him?"

"The brewery. Where Sam had Rowena. Marion..."

Marion stepped forward, her face shaking with rage. "If he is dead, I will bring the full forces of Hell down upon the witch who did this. And if you are still broken when that comes about, I will put you out of everyone's misery. You should probably find a way to fix yourself."

"How would you-"

She interrupted him by punching him with her left fist. "That ring that just left an impression on your cheek, that's a wedding ring, you idiot. You didn't notice it, yesterday, because your head was too busy with thoughts of Dean, but I am Crowley's Queen. If you have killed him, and you better hope you fucked up, but if you managed it, then Hell is mine and I am more than willing to rule." She said, before transporting herself to the factory. Her stomach lurched as she saw the man in the black suit laying face-down on the floor. She fell to her knees next to him and examined the wound on his back, followed by his eyes. Relief washed over her body and her shoulders slumped, as she realized that the vessel was empty. She stood, before teleporting herself to Hell.

Marion's eyes fell on a demon who was running a rag over the arm of her throne. "What are you doing?" She asked, walking up to the demon.

The demon cowered a little and hung her head a little. "I'm cleaning, your majesty."

"Your King is missing, his favorite vessel vacated, the witch Rowena has spelled an angel to assassinate him, the archangels in the Cage are screaming, and you think I want my throne cleaned?"

"I... it's my job. I, uh... was there something else you wanted me to..."

"You are going to go find our 3 best trackers and bring them to me. You will send two guards to this address and a witch to dispel whatever magic Rowena put on his vessel. You have 5 minutes." As the demon scurried out of the throne room, Marion's cell phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but she answered anyway. "Hello?"

"Hey, Pony." A woman's voice came through the phone.

"Crowley? Where are you?"

"There was a mishap. That's what I get for underestimating my mother. She turned Castiel into her own little pitbull and he went for my throat. I was lucky enough to smoke out of my old vessel before the blade went in, though. Now, I'm stuck in a 49 year old woman out in a suburb of Wichita. Where are you, love?"

"Home. Castiel called me, told me he'd killed you. I saw what she did to him. I saw your vessel was empty. I came back to Hell to send out the troops."

"Oh, my queen. What's already been done?"

"Fergus, just tell me where you are. I'll bring a handful of demons and we'll get you where you belong."


	24. Tale as old as Time

Marion grabbed two demons and transported them to the little ranch style house in the suburbs. There was blood all over the living room, and 3 bodies, all nude. Crowley walked forward wearing the woman who'd called her. Marion wrapped him in a hug, for the first time being taller than her King. She pulled back and beamed at him. "She looks good on you. You give her a kind of cougar feel, the way you look at me."

"Says the forever 35 archangel." Crowley smiled. "I'm glad I'm alive, too." He added, in a whisper. He turned to the minions.

"Took you long enough."

"We came as soon as you called, s- uh... what do we call you?"

"King. What about the other white meatsuit?" Crowley growled.

"Secured. We have another team and a witch removing Rowena's immobilization spell as we speak."

"Says it like it was his idea." Marion rolled her eyes.

"No, Queen, I-I didn't mean-"

"Shut it." She ordered.

"What?" Crowley barked at the other demon.

"Uh, it's nothing, sir."

"Speak." Crowley ordered.

"It's just... you barely escaped assassination. You're arguably on the run from the most powerful witch on Earth, not to mention an angel of Heaven and uh..."

"And, uh?" Crowley pushed.

"Y-you didn't call for help until after the orgy?"

"Hmm. I apologize... for nothing. If my queen isn't mentioning it, why are you?"

"Well, I- hn..."

"'Shut it' is good advice." Marion whispered, with a wink.

Crowley reached over and slapped Marion's ass, before squeezing it, roughly. She raised an eyebrow at him. "One would think you'd be sated, my King."

"Never."

"Come on, Crowley. Let's get you back into that publishing agent I like so much. Maybe we can have a little fun later. There are big things happening that might be a little more important than... physical pleasure."

"Are you sure?"

Marion just smiled and grabbed Crowley's shoulder, flying them both to the distillery. She smiled at the demon she'd ordered to stop cleaning the throne room, then watched as Crowley smoked out of the woman and into his old vessel.

"Ahh. Daddy's home." Crowley smirked, before turning his attention to the minion in the meatsuit with glasses. "What?"

"Sir... there are rumors from Hell."

"Rumors?"

"The Darkness has been released."

"The Darkness? Please. Myth. It's a bedtime story. Something that daddy demons threaten toddler demons with to get them to eat their vegetables. Even if it was true, what's the concern? Darkness, King of Hell- Natural allies."

"It's just... something happened, sir... in the Cage." The other minion said, nervously.

"What?"

Marion stepped forward, at that. "They said it sounded like a frightened animal. All of Hell heard... like someone was going crazy. The rumor is that Michael or Lucifer, one of them is trying to warn us. I've got money on it being Michael, because... why would Lucifer do anything actually helpful like warn us?"

"About the Darkness. Ridiculous."

"Except... half of Hell is sort of freaking out, sir. What do we do?"

Crowley turned his attention to his queen. "What do you think?"

"I think it's our job as rulers to look into all possible threats to our domain." She put a hand on his chest and leaned forward to whisper, "You know this has something to do with my brothers. If the Darkness is real and if it has been released, you know that's on us somehow. So, please, let's at least try to figure this out."

"Of course. You're right, my love. I'll look into it. First, though... let's find a... place to..."

"My King... don't you think..."

"When was the last time?"

Marion sighed. He was right. It'd been a while, since before she gave birth to Celeste. "Fine. But it can't be a big long thing. We've got other things need doing."

"I'm back in my favorite vessel, luv. Of course, it'll be a big long thing." Marion chuckled and flew back to her room in Hell. Crowley was next to her in no time. She snapped her fingers, leaving them both nude. "Impatient?"

"I told you, Fergus. Other things need doing." She whispered, running her hands to his hair and burying them there.

"This is as important as whatever is going on in the Cage. More important because it's mine." Crowley said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her backward onto the bed.

She looked down at him, bringing her legs to straddle him. "I love you. I was so afraid that..."

"Hey. You took charge. You did everything right. You got me home. You were exactly the right choice for queen. Now... you know how much I love when you're on top, so let's get this started." She smiled, leaning down to kiss him.

**************

Marion sat on the edge of her bed as Crowley got dressed. "Really? A priest's collar?"

"I have a habit, if you want to come along."

"I'm going to come, of course, but I will _not_ be dressing up as a nun, my love. There are some lines that even the Queen of Hell won't cross."

"But thankfully, there aren't any lines I won't cross." He said, straightening his collar and turning to her. "Let's go see a possessed baby."

They walked up to the door of the house, Marion smoothing down her hair as Crowley knocked. "You look fine. Should've put on the costume, though."

"You don't need any more masturbatory material, Fergus."

"I'm still going to call you 'Sister Marion'." He whispered as the door was opened. "Ma'am. We were told you had an... interesting event happen."

"Yes. Uh, please, come in, Father..."

"Father Crowley, and this is my assistant, Sister Marion." Crowley said as they walked into the house.

"Can I, uh, can I get you some tea?" The older woman asked.

"We'd love some, thank you." Crowley answered.

As the woman walked out of the room, Marion's eyes cast upwards. "Can you feel that?"

"Yeah."

"That's not demonic."

"Not at all."

"Then, what is it?"

Crowley smirked. "I have no idea."

A young woman came in and looked between the two. "Hi. I'm Jenna. Did my grandma call you? I mean... I already called someone to..."

"We're just here to help, Jenna. We promise, we won't get in the way of anything." Marion said, with a smile as the older woman brought in a tray with a tea service on it. An unmistakable sound of a large, well cared-for engine hit their ears and Jenna ran for the door. Crowley leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea and Marion trained her eyes on the door. Jenna walked back in, holding the door open for the man she'd called for help, who walked in and stopped as soon as his eyes fell on the two on the couch.

"Hello, my son."

"Crowley? Marion?"

"'Father' Crowley and 'Sister' Marion."

"Yeah, 'Sister'." Dean mumbled.

"Do you know each other?" Jenna asked.

"Oh, yes. Dean was a rather scrumptious young altar boy." Crowley said.

Marion reached over and lightly slapped his arm. "Excuse him. He doesn't have a very good sense of humor."

"I think I do."

"Can I talk to you outside... Father?" Dean asked.

"Of course. After I finish my tea." Crowley answered as Marion stood and stepped around him to look up at her brother.

"Perhaps we should speak to him now, Father Crowley."

Crowley stood and smiled at Jenna and her grandmother before they walked out the door. Dean turned to them as soon as the door swung shut. "Really? Father Crowley? Really?"

"I'm sorry, aging pathetic, has-been rock star. Did I offend your delicate sensibilities? Where have you been? Your brother and that idiot angel, do you know what they've been doing?"

"I've heard."

"Everything?"

"Enough. What are you doing here? And what are _you_ doing with him?"

Marion rolled her eyes. "Like you care. I'm with him. And we are here for the same reason you are. We're working the case."

"I have sources in the Catholic church: nuns that owe me a favor, priests with a taste for..."

"Okay, all right, yeah, I can imagine." Dean cut him off.

"You really can't. Anyhow, they hear of a demonic possession, they call me. If it's one of mine, I tell them to ignore it. If it's a, uh, demon gone rogue, well, that's when Father Crowley comes out to play."

"It doesn't happen that often." Marion said, pacing in front of her twin.

"So, you guys think there's a demon in there."

"Not even a little bit." Crowley answered. He pointed at the second story of the house. "Whatever's in that house, I can taste the power radiating from it. That thing... it's old, deep and dark."

"It's not anything I've ever felt." Marion whispered as a scream emanated from inside the house.

"Jenna? Jenna!" Dean called as the three of them walked into the kitchen.

"Well, hello, plot twist." Crowley said as they looked down at the dead body of Jenna's grandmother.

Marion turned and walked toward the staircase. Dean pushed to the front of the group and started upstairs. "Jen! Jenna!" He called.

"Really?" Crowley chastised.

"What?"

"We have no idea what ancient, world-shattering evil we're dealing with, but go right ahead. Let him know we're coming!"

"Listen, Velma, this isn't the Scooby Gang, okay? So, either shut up or get out."

"I'm pretty sure he was telling _you_ to shut up, Dean." Marion whispered.

"Easy, kids. Just trying to help." Crowley said as the baby began to cry and Dean stalked down the hallway to the baby's room. "I'm way more of a Daphne."

"What, does that make me Fred? I don't want to be Fred." Marion whispered, causing Dean to turn from the crib to raise an eyebrow at them.

"When you said that you're with him, did you mean?" He whispered.

"Conversation for later. What's up with the baby?"

"Her name's Amara." Dean said, leaning down to pull the girl's onesie off of her shoulder.

"The child likes you. No surprise, really. You're very maternal." Crowley joked.

"We gotta find Jenna." Dean said, not turning around.

"Okay. Let's go find her." Marion said, walking forward and putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. "You okay?" She whispered.

Dean just nodded, turning away from her touch and walking down the hallway. Outside of one of the doors, they could hear breaking glass inside. "Drama." Crowley whispered in a singsong tone.

Dean opened the door, cautiously and they all walked in. "Jenna? What are you doing?"

"My grandma collected these things." Jenna said, staring at a porcelain knickknack. "But I always thought they were so... bleh. Don't worry. She won't care. I cut her throat." The woman's words were matter-of-fact.

"Why did you do that?" Dean asked.

"Because this woman doesn't have a soul." Crowley answered. "Fascinating."

"What are you talking about? How is that even possible?"

"Amara's hungry. She's a growing girl." Jenna said.

"Jenna. Listen to me." Dean stepped toward the woman. "Whatever's happened, whatever's going on, we can fix it, okay?"

"But I don't want to be fixed. I like the new me. She's a ball." Jenna tossed the porcelain angel at Dean, then pulled a chef knife from the back of her jeans.

"Just come with us, okay?" Dean said as Jenna swung at him, causing him to fall backward onto the bed. "Jenna! Stop!" He shouted as he got up and grabbed her tightly from behind. She bashed her head into Dean's face, pulling him down to the floor and climbing on top of him. Marion grabbed the blade from her hands as Crowley used his telekinesis to throw Jenna off of Dean, hitting the ceiling and falling to the floor, dead. Dean looked from the body to Crowley.

"I was getting bored."

"You killed her!" Dean accused.

"You're welcome." Crowley started to leave the room.

"She was soulless. And not like Sammy. She couldn't have been saved." Marion said, dropping the knife and moving to follow her husband.

"Where are you going?"

"To see the child that eats souls."

"You don't get what that thing is." Dean said, stepping around the bed.

"Enlighten us." Marion turned and gave Dean a cold look. Crowley stepped back into the bedroom as Dean avoided eye contact.

"Come on, darling. Don't play coy."

"I think Amara is the Darkness." He admitted.

"Interesting. So, what now? You kill her? You?" Crowley didn't let his eyes off of Dean.

"I don't have a choice." Dean said, sadly.

"Please. Even if you could murder a baby, you couldn't murder _that_ baby. I saw the way you looked at her. Me, on the other hand, it's not like it'd be my first."

Marion looked away, stepping backward in the hallway as Dean growled. "Oh, is that an offer?"

"It's a promise. Right after I'm done with her."

"Stay away from her!" Dean shouted as he ran at the King of Hell, who just flicked his wrist and tossed him into the closet.

"Oh, Dean. Adorable little Dean. I want that child, and I get what I want. You and Sam don't understand. I'm not your bloody sidekick! I'm your brother-in-law. We don't have to play nice." Dean slowly stood and Crowley sighed. "We've had some good times and I'd never hear the end of it if I had to kill my queen's twin... so I'm gonna give you one chance, just one, to walk out that door, or I'm gonna take you apart atom by atom. Do you understa- aah! Bastard!" He yelled as Dean stabbed an angel blade into his hand and into the wall. Dean pulled out the Kurdish knife and walked purposefully down the hall, stopping only momentarily to glare at Marion, before thudding open Amara's door and rushing in.

Marion appeared in front of Crowley and slapped him. "That is _not_ how I wanted him to find out. Get the hell back to Hell. _I_ have to do damage control. Ass."

"Love you, too, darling." He whispered, before disappearing.

Dean stalked back into the bedroom as Marion was pulling the bloody angel blade from the wall. He glared at her as she offered the blade back to him. He snatched it from her hand and started back into the hallway. "Dean."

"You married _Crowley_?! Crowley, the King of Hell! Crowley, who has tried to kill us more times than I can-"

"Who you hung out with all Summer last year and who is the father of my child and who is really not anywhere near as bad as he portrays himself!" Marion shouted, jogging to keep up with Dean. "Come on, Dean. I... I really wanted to tell you, I just didn't want to tell you in the middle of all of this."

"When did this happen?" Dean turned to her at the door to the house.

"What? When did I marry him or when did we fall for each other?"

"Fall for- son of a..."

"When I was pregnant. He decided he wanted _me_ back when I was still human but I didn't... feel anything for him until he had me in Hell."

"You have Stockholm Syndrome! You married your kidnapper." Dean scratched his nails against his scalp.

"That's not... we didn't marry until after Celeste was born. After he let me leave Hell. Come on, Dean. He's not that bad."

"He kills babies! He said..."

"Don't... he's a demon, Dean. I get that that comes with some... unsavory aspects. But... I married him. I love him. He's better to me than any other man I've ever been with."

"He's not a man! He's a ghost! An evil, twisted spirit wearing a man as a vessel!"

Marion flinched at the sudden shout. "Dean... he's nice to me. He may not be nice to you or Sam or anyone else in the fucking world, but he is good to me. He loves me."

"He can't love you. Demons don't feel love. You know he can't. He hates feeling anything. Why would love be any different?"

"Why else would he ask me to marry him?"

Dean's eyes went sad, his features suddenly softening. "You're doing it again." He whispered.

Marion knew what he meant, immediately. "No."

"If this isn't Stockholm Syndrome, some Beauty and the Beast shit, then you are doing the exact same thing you did with Cas."

Tears threatened the edges of her eyes. "It's not... I'm not doing it again. I had no frame of reference for love back then. Charlie, she taught me..."

"Maybe you should stick with women, because you are not good at this with men. I'm telling you, Mare, there is no way that Crowley loves you. He wants you in Hell so that Celeste will be there instead of with us. I guarantee that is the _only_ reason he married you." He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. Come home with me. Come back to the bunker. Let your head get clear of him. You'll see."

**_See, you have a habit of believing in a relationship with very little real evidence. You think Charlie really loved you? You think Castiel ever cared? Of course not. Why would they?_** played in her head. "But..."

"Come with me. Don't go back with him. He's using you. Again."

Marion took a deep breath as the tears began their race down her cheeks. "Let's go get Sam." She whispered, distraught.

Dean opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but he just nodded and walked toward the Impala. She was already in the passenger seat by the time he got in.


	25. Being Human

Sam looked surprised when he walked up to the Impala and saw Marion in his seat. She appeared in the back seat as he made it to the passenger door. "Mare... what are you doing here? Where've you been?"

Marion didn't answer, so Dean turned in the front seat to look at her. "If you don't tell him, I will." There was more silence from the female Winchester as she tried to find the right words. To much silence for Dean. "Amara, the baby, she was the Darkness. Crowley sniffed out her power before I ever made it back, got there before me. Marion was with him."

"What? Why?"

"If you make _me_ answer that one, Mare, I'm not gonna say it nicely."

Marion lifted her left hand and showed her ring to her baby brother. "Is that a... A wedding ring?" Sam asked, grabbing her hand and pulling it over the seat so he could see it.

"You haven't seen me because I've been busy... being Queen of Hell." She whispered.

"How does that even... is this, like, official? Like really?"

"It's official in Hell. Where else would it matter?" Marion asked, pulling her hand back.

"And how's that work, by the way? Crowley call a Satanic priest down to say your vows?" Dean asked, finally pulling away from the hospital and heading down the two-lane out of town.

"He put a ring on my finger and told the entire inner court that I was his wife. It doesn't really take much in Hell. His word is law." She whispered.

Dean looked into the rearview mirror. "Then, take the ring off. We're giving you an annulment."

Marion looked down at the red and green gems. "I'm not convinced..."

"We gotta go through this again?" Dean groaned.

"He's a demon. There has to be some kind of angle he's playing." Sam turned in the seat to look at her. "I know you want there to be something there, because of Celeste, but... It's Crowley. He's evil. He admitted it the other night. Admitted the evil things he's done and how much he's enjoyed them."

"Baby killer." Dean provided.

"When did he admit that? When you had him pinned down with a Devil's Trap Bullet and stuffed a hex bag in his coat? When you tried to kill him, right before sending Cas to ask him for help? You talk about evil like... you're some sort of pure thing, but you aren't, neither of you. None of us. I felt something... and I did not doubt it. It was unconventional, but it was mine and now... I'm coming back with you only so that I can take an objective look at my situation. I won't take the ring off until I am convinced that the marriage is a fraud." She sighed and sniffled away some tears. "I've lost a lot. I have been played a fool several times and I recognize I don't always have the clearest vision when it comes to love. But... Crowley doesn't lie to me. He doesn't pretend with me. He is not what he shows to you."

"Maybe it's the other way. Maybe he's exactly who we think he is and he shows you what you want to see." Sam suggested. "I mean, you control his heir. And having an archangel on his side might be the secret weapon he's been hoping for. I mean, he doesn't have Dean anymore, the Mark is gone, which makes the Blade useless. One of the last archangels, armed with an angel blade might be enough to put him at the top of any fight."

"Hadn't even considered that angle. I was focused on control of Celeste's future. You know, Crowley wants her ruling Hell beside him and after him? So, if he gets Marion on the court, that pretty much guarantees where the kid ends up." Marion disappeared from the car as the brothers spoke, prompting Dean to pull over and grab his cell phone. "She better not have gone back to-" He muttered, dialing her number.

"Put the phone down, I'm back." She said, appearing right back where she was, only with the addition of two 1.75 litre bottles of Wild Turkey. She twisted one open and began to chug. There was no taste to gag at, to her, so it was easy to drink it down. As she approached the halfway mark on the bottle, she stopped, turning her body so that her back was against the back passenger side door. Her brothers were staring at her, twisted in the front seat to get a real good look. She sighed and took another gulp. "You know, it started before Celeste. He decided he wanted me back when I was still human."

"Was that before or after he sent Cas to break your heart?" Dean snapped.

"He sent Cas to distract me."

"What about the kill order he had on you?" Sam asked.

"He only made me _think_ there was a price on my head. It made me think I was in danger, kept me away from you and more susceptible to Cas' deception."

"And you married the guy? Knowing the manipulative, shady shit he's done... _just_ the shit he's done to you, Mare." Dean pleaded.

"Do you remember the locket? This locket? It's one of the many things that Crowley gave to Cas to give to me. In it are directions to look in a book I stole from Bobby. Crowley must've been watching me to know I had that book, which corroborates the letter I found _in_ that book."

"So, he was stalking you? That says 'true love' to you?" Sam asked, looking at the locket hanging around her neck.

"No. The letter does. He wrote it while he was still trying to get into Purgatory. Before the blood doping, before the feelings." She gulped down several more chugs. "He doesn't praise my looks, call me beautiful or make any reference to my body. He awes at my mind, my intelligence. He spends a hundred words talking about my fearlessness, how I flourished in the hunter world and he explains that every gift Cas every gave me was Crowley's idea, Crowley's effort. This locket, he had it made special by a silversmith in Scotland. It's an exact replica of the one mom wore on their wedding day. He told me that he tried to run down Mom's actual necklace, but... apparently Dad melted it down for a skinwalker hunt."

"He put in all this effort for things he didn't think I would ever know about. By the time I figured out Cas was a fraud, I had 3 early edition fairy tale books, this locket and about a dozen roses from a trellis at the cemetery where mom is buried. There was, also, a teddy bear that I adored. He put in effort back when I was never going to know."

"That don't mean he loves you."

"I know, Dean. Why do you think you could convince me to come with you? Because it's Crowley and he might be playing a long con; and it's me and I'm gullible when it comes to love. I'm taking a step back, letting myself see the truth of the situation. Just drive. You're making me impatient."

Dean shrugged and pulled back onto the street.

*************

"All right, I still don't understand. I mean, I thought the Darkness was a woman, not a child." Sam said dropping his bags on the map table.

Dean walked around to the other side of the table and did the same. "Well, same here. I don't know. Maybe whatever I saw, wasn't real. Maybe it was a vision." He answered.

"A vision?"

"Yeah." Dean confirmed, walking up the steps to look at the library. Marion appeared to his left, without her jacket or plaid over shirt. Dean couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her rocking just a camisole.

"Huh. Pretty weird." Sam said, rubbing his neck nervously before following Dean toward the library.

"Yeah, weird with a weird cherry on a weird top. We gotta get a maid." Dean segued quickly, looking at the large pile of gas-soaked books the Stynes had left. "But, you know, one with a-a little uniform and really big, uh..."

A noise behind the books grabbed him from his thoughts, and the Winchester brothers pulled their guns. Marion followed them, quietly and without expression. Castiel lay bloody and weak on the floor behind the books. "Help me." He wheezed.

Marion stepped forward and touched the books, a white light enveloping them. The smell of gas disappeared as the books returned to the shelves. She leaned over Cas, who was no longer in the shadow of the pile. "Still spelled? Looks like the rest of Heaven didn't deal any kindness to you, either." She touched his forehead and cleaned his clothes and healed his wounds, but the spell didn't abate. "Hmm, we'll have to look into it. I can't dispel this."

"Marion, why are you here? You..." His voice tapered off as his eyes fell to her cleavage.

"Eyes up, Soldier." Marion ordered, standing back up. "I'm gonna try my hand at being a human again."

"And Crowley?" Cas asked, sitting up.

"Is none of your concern. Or mine, it seems. The rage, how bad is it?" Cas just shook his head. "Sam, you should go get a set of manacles. We'll have to chain him down so that he doesn't kill you and Dean."

" _You_ aren't worried about him?" Dean asked, as Sam rushed out.

"Please." She said, dismissively. "I'm _pretending_ to be human, I'm not actually human. I'm a frickin' archangel. I'm not scared of rageful Castiel."

"Thank you." Castiel said, sarcastically.

Marion shrugged. "I've been working on my honesty." She leaned against the table and rubbed her eyes.

"So, what happened to Crowley?" Castiel asked as Dean helped him into a chair.

"Well, you didn't kill him." Marion replied.

"She married him. Did you know about that?" Dean groaned.

"She... told me after I... I haven't known long." Cas answered.

"He called to me after Rowena hit him with her attack-dog spell. He told me that he'd killed... my husband. I went a bit ape on him. Which I feel is a completely rational response to your ex telling you that he's murdered your spouse."

"You told me that you'd bring the full forces of Hell down upon me. Said you were more than happy to rule Hell in his absence. You seemed content to be the Queen of Hell. Why are you here?" Castiel growled.

"It's been suggested that I'm gullible and overzealous in love. I'm distancing myself from the situation to make sure that I'm making the right decisions in my life."

"Marrying evil? Never the right decision." Sam said, walking up with a set of the spelled handcuffs.

"I know your opinion, guys. I don't need to keep hearing it. You think I'm an idiot. Fine. Shut up about it!" She snapped, before disappearing to the room she'd claimed as hers.

She took her boots off and lied down on the bed. She didn't need sleep, but she was going to go through the motions, anyway. No one came to check on her. Maybe because they didn't know where she'd gone, but hours passed in silence. "What are you doing? Are you pregnant again?" Crowley's voice cut through the silence. The tone came across hopeful.

Marion shook her head. "I'm pretending to be a human again."

"Why's that?" He asked, sitting on her bed.

She flipped onto her side, turning so that he was behind her back. "You have Amara, don't you? Didn't even ask me. We can't even take care of our own daughter and you've brought-"

"She's the Darkness, Marion. I'm not trying to replace Celeste! I'm trying to cultivate a relationship with a very powerful entity. We'll be safer that way. You. Celeste. All of us!"

"Fergus, we should be trying to get rid of her now before she's at her full strength. She's dangerous." Marion turned over and looked at him. "But that's exactly why you want her. This isn't about keeping me and Celeste safe. It's about using _her_. About your obsessional need for teaming up with the next big bad. Like, Castiel and Raphael and Dick Roman... Dean and me. Everyone is just a piece in your manipulative game and..."

She sighed and shook her head, looking away from him. Some distance _had_ made her see, and she was not happy about it. "I'm going to extract my grace tomorrow. It won't last, I'm marked, but I'm willing to do it every few months, if necessary. You won't have any use for me, anymore."

Crowley's eyes narrowed angrily. "Are you leaving me?"

"I'm becoming human again, at least temporarily. I'm going to hunt monsters with my brothers, instead of having one in my bed. I'm going to sleep again, and eat again and _bleed_ again. And my daughter will not be a part of your game, Crowley."

" _Our_ daughter. And she will be a part of anything I want. How are you going to stop me without your grace?"

Marion grabbed her phone and opened text, sending one word to Claire. "She's with two powerful white witches, neither of whom like you. And I am a Winchester before an angel and my brothers would trample the world to keep Celeste from you."

Crowley stood, towering over her. "Just... Stop. What happened? We were fine two days ago. You took over Hell while I was out, you got me back to my vessel, we made love. What happened?" 

Marion stood. "I need to... remember who I am. I..."

"Remember who you are? Marion, you are my queen. You are the mother of my daughter. I thought we... I thought we were past the doubt."

"No. I pushed past it, but... Crowley, my brothers agree with Lucifer on something. I can't... ignore that. Go home to your Darkness."

"If you think I'm going to stay there when you and your brothers want Amara dead, then you are sorely mistaken."

"Then, leave. I wouldn't expect you to stay there. Your mother knows that locale, too."

Crowley sighed and glared at her. "Keep the ring. When you come crawling back, I want you wearing it." He disappeared as pressed her lips together.

Marion appeared in the infirmary, walking over to a counter and pulling the drawer out. A small, long wooden box greeted her. She flipped it open and grabbed the giant syringe.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked, walking up behind her.

She stiffened, before turning and swallowing, clutching the cold metal and glass. "I... have to stop being Crowley's secret weapon. This is the best way to... disarm myself."

"Do you know how to use that?" Sam asked, stepping toward her.

"I know where to jam it. It'll hurt but it's better than the alternatives."

"Let me pull it. You direct me, I'll be your hands."

"You aren't gonna try to talk me out of it? You've had this procedure, yourself."

Sam took a deep breath and looked down, sadly. "I miss my sister, Mare. You aren't her when you've got Crowley on your shoulder. I miss Charlie's Marion. The woman who was healed by love. Not the vengeful, sarcastic mess you became while Crowley had you in Hell. If taking the grace will take you off Crowley's radar, then... it's fuckin' worth it."

"You know, Charlie's death might have hit me harder than you think. Maybe she's the reason I... let myself be... swayed."

"I'm sorry. Please, let me help you."

Marion nodded and offered the syringe to him. She let out a shakey breath and sat in the dentist chair. She placed a finger over her jugular. "Right here. You have to angle it toward my brain stem."

"This is going to hurt. You know that, right?" Sam clarified, poising the syringe just over her skin, as she pulled her finger away.

"That's been established, Sam. Just get on with it, before I lose my nerve." Sam pushed the needle into her neck, putting steady pressure on it, until it was halfway into her neck. "More." She groaned. "It has to go in deeper."

Sam's stomach twisted a bit, as he pushed the needle deeper. "That's as far as I'm pushing, Mare."

"Fine." She breathed. "Pull the plunger. All the way. All of it." Sam carefully pulled the ring, the syringe filling with glowing white/blue grace. Marion screamed in pain, slowly getting louder as the energy was pulled from her. As soon as it was full, he pulled the needle from her neck and placed it on the side table.

"Marion. Mare. Hey." His voice was a bit panicked as he lightly slapped her cheek.

"What happened?" Dean ran into the infirmary, drawn by his twins screams.

"She... she'll be okay. I think." Sam whispered, checking her pulse.

Dean rushed over, grabbing the syringe. "Is this... her _grace_?"

"She asked me to. She was going to do it, all by herself. If I didn't help, she'd be..."

"What the hell did she do this for?"

"It was the only way for her to... Dean... she wanted to try to be normal again. Guess she didn't want to have to keep pretending. And this way, she'll know for a fact that Crowley just wanted her for her power."

"Is she dead? Did you kill her?"

"She's fine. The whole thing is really painful and she's human now, so... she just needs to sleep it off, man. Let her rest."

Dean leaned down and scooped his twin up. "I found her stuff in the room two doors down from mine. I'm gonna go lay her down." He said, stomping out of the room with her.

Sam looked down at the syringe, the grace glowing brightly. He walked to the counter and grabbed a jar, pouring it's contents onto the counter and taking the glass jar with him. He poured the grace into the jar and gently placed the syringe back into its box. The grace flowed in the jar as he took it to the room with the spell components.

**********

Marion's eyes fluttered open the next day. She felt like shit, but she smiled. "Hey. You're awake. Did Sammy lobotomize you?" Dean asked, sitting up straight in the chair he'd brought into her room.

She smiled brighter. "I'm pretty sure he didn't. How do I look?" Her voice broke on the last word.

Dean's face took on that softness Marion knew he'd taken from their mother. He smiled. "Human. You look... human and that is great. You feelin' okay?"

"I'm starving." Even when she was pregnant, she hadn't been this kind of hungry.

Dean smiled. "Scrambled eggs?" She nodded, excitedly. "Eggo waffles, coffee?"

"Oh, definitely coffee." She'd missed coffee. She pushed herself out of the bed and stood. "That takes a lot more energy than I remember."

"I got you." Dean said, walking over and putting her arm around his shoulder. They walked, slowly, toward the kitchen. "So... Cas said this is temporary. You'll be an angel again in a few months."

She nodded. "I might get a year out of it. That's how long I held out the first time. I... I can just do this all again when the time comes. I can do this every few months for the rest of my life. I will, if I have to."

"So, you're planning to stay human? Until you die?"

Marion nodded. "That's the plan. Being an angel is hard."

"I would love to disagree with you, sis, but I can't."

Sam walked up, a relieved smile on his face. "You're okay?"

"Yeah, we're headin' to get her some nosh. You up for some scrambled eggs?"

"Y-yeah. I'm so happy you're okay." Sam said.

"Me, too. I'm hungry to the point of nauseousness and my head is killing me, but... I'm glad for that, you know? Haven't felt like this in a long time."

Dean sat her in a chair and walked to the fridge, pulling out the eggs. He grabbed a skillet and clicked on the stove. "Sam, grab her a cup of coffee."

Sam nodded and walked to the coffee pot. He set the mug in front of her and took the seat in front of her. "So... you're human again. You're... you're okay?"

"You can stop asking. I'm okay. Promise." She lifted the mug and let the smell waft over her face. "Hmm. Oh, man. You don't know how excited I am for this meal."

"I remember how you are about your coffee." Sam chuckled.

"Yeah. All these years without coffee. It's been... horrible. I'll have to go get some of that hazelnut stuff Missus got me hooked on." She looked up from the mug, surprised, and caught Dean's eyes. "Why do I remember that? That's completely irrelevant. Why would I have held onto the memory of hazelnut vanilla coffee?"

Dean shrugged. "It must've been important to you. Or maybe those memories aren't completely gone." Marion took a drink of the coffee and relished the bitter taste. "You want any milk or sugar?"

"No. I... really want to just taste the coffee. Thanks. So... where's Cas?"

"Chained up in the library." Sam answered. "Until we find a way to fix him..."

Marion nodded and took another drink of coffee as the toaster popped up with two waffles. "So, after breakfast, you think you're up for a bit of research? Gotta figure out this whole 'Darkness' thing." Dean said, grabbing the waffles and putting them on a plate. "Butter, syrup?"

"Hell yeah." Dean chuckled as he scooped eggs onto her plate and Sam grabbed the syrup. "So, how long can I count on this whole 'rushing to take care of me' thing?"

Sam and Dean looked at each other as Dean put the plate and flatware in front of her. "Two weeks?" Dean suggested.

"Maybe three. Depends on how much you milk it."

"Yeah, you make it annoying, we'll back off out of spite. We already got Cas to worry about."

Marion speared a clump of scrambled eggs on her fork and pulled it into her mouth. "Fuck... forgot how much I like... food."

"It's crazy how good he is at that stuff, isn't it?"

"Death liked me for a reason." Dean said, with a shrug.

"Maybe you shouldn't have offed him." Marion said, around a mouthful of food.

"You heard about that, huh?" Sam looked down.

"Hell works very closely with the Reapers. There was one who... made sure to come to court and voice her displeasure."

"Billie?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. I don't know how she knew where I was. There aren't any Reapers on the court."

"Who's Billie?"

"Basically, hates us. Wants to make sure we stay down next time we die." Sam responded.

Marion cleared her mouth with a gulp of coffee. "Said that next time a Winchester dies, we aren't getting taken home or Hell, we're getting dropped into the Nothing."

"Well, that's not threatening." Dean said, sarcastically. 

"Just try not to die." Marion looked down at her suddenly empty plate. She hadn't realized she'd finished off her last bite.

"All right. Research?" Dean asked, grabbing her dishes and walking them to the sink.

"Actually, I'm just realizing that I've been wearing these same clothes since I... since Chicago. I'm sure you guys didn't save any of my clothes, right? So, I need to go buy clothes." Marion stood, looking down at her camisole.

"Guess that makes sense. You can't just grace your clothes clean. That must've been awkward when Cas was human." Dean mused.

"Can I borrow a computer? I have to see if Charlie left any money where I can get at it."

"Why don't you just use the-" Sam started.

"'Cause I don't have to. Just... laptop?" Marion asked.

"Charlie set aside money for you?" Dean asked as Sam walked out of the kitchen.

"No. Mister and Missus did. I gave it to Charlie when I died."

"You gave it to Charlie?! How much?"

"I was hoping she'd take the money and go start over somewhere. It was my last-ditch effort at keeping her safe."

"How much, Marion?" Dean asked, his voice serious.

"It's just money, Dean."

"Just money. Like Jensen Ackles and Jared Padaleski money?"

"Padalecki, and... when I became... when I told Charlie to take it, it was... like, 2..." she mumbled.

"2 what? 2 million? Did you really just say..." Dean looked down at her in shock.

"See, this is why I never said anything." 

"You were rich. And-and you never thought that might be something to mention?"

"She was what?" Sam asked, walking into the kitchen with his laptop.

"The crazies who took her, left all their assets to her when they died. 2 million bucks."

Marion rolled her eyes and snatched the laptop from her shocked brother's hands. "You guys do remember how hard it was to talk to you idiots after I came back from Florida, right? _You_ were all judgy because I went to college and ignored your calls for a year and _you_ didn't have a soul. It wasn't something that ever really came up in conversation, you know?" She pulled open the laptop and pulled up her old bank account. The password had been changed. She tapped her fingers against the keyboard, not hard enough to press the keys, as she thought through everything Charlie might have picked. She smiled as her heart wrenched. "Galadriel." She whispered as she pressed the keys.

The online banking opened and several joined accounts pulled up on the screen. Marion let out a shocked gasp. "She didn't touch the money. It's all still here... with interest."

"So, you're rich again." Sam said, looking over her shoulder at the screen.

"We are."

" _We_?" Dean asked.

Marion stood, pulling out her wallet, which had been forgotten in her back pocket for years. "I never intended to keep the money to myself. I barely used any of it. I mean, the biggest purchase was that condo in Chicago. I _wanted_ to share with you guys, but there were... bigger fish. Okay? This is our money. We won't be wasting it... because Missus always preached moderation, but if we need anything we won't have hustle pool for it or steal anyone's credit. Okay?"

Dean narrowed his eyes, before wrapping an arm around her. "Should've told us, but... if you'd given us that money, there wouldn't be any left by now, so... you know, I get it. Go get clothes."

"Can I take Baby?"

"Hell no. Take one of the Letters' cars."

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

Marion walked toward the garage, pulling her debit card from the wallet. It was still good, for a couple more months, anyway. New clothes, new boots, and toiletries. "Ammo for the boys." She decided as she sat down in one of the classic cars.


	26. Blackout

Marion dropped her Wal-Mart bags on the map table and walked toward her brothers and Castiel in the library. "I bought... everything. I forgot how much stuff I need as a human." Dean nodded at her absentmindedly and Sam smiled at her, with his phone at his ear.

"Between the clothing, the food, the deodorant and toothpaste... toilet paper." Castiel mumbled. 

"You are not wrong, Castiel." She said, flopping down in a chair next to Sam. She looked down at the chain holding Castiel in place. "So... um... I'm sorry. I was a bit of a bitch... for the last... couple years." 

"I understand. I haven't been very..."

"Yeah. Are we... good?" Marion asked, looking down. Castiel nodded. "Good. I mean... good." 

"Okay. Thank you, ma'am." Sam said, pulling his phone away from his face. "So, that was the last of the neighbors. Just like the rest. Dean? Dean!"

"Yeah." Dean said, coming out of his trance.

"You okay?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah." He looked down at the book in front of him. "Yeah, I'm fine." 

"Just saying we got nothing. No one saw anything unusual going on at the house the day the baby disappeared." Sam finished. 

"If this is truly the Darkness we're talking about, it's more of a time bomb than a baby." Castiel responded, pulling his blanket tighter around him.

"Yeah, but it is still a baby, right? I mean, the Darkness I saw was an adult. So, it still has to, uh... grow up." Dean looked between Sam and Cas as he spoke.

"The Darkness is almost infinite power. I'm not sure what 'growing up' means in this case." 

"Well, God kicked this thing's ass once before, right?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah, it'd be nice if he put down the Mai Tai and show up for work."

"I wouldn't count on it." Castiel grumbled.

"Well, it's possible he's around. Closer than you think, you know?" Sam chimed in.

"Isn't the hopeful God line supposed to be mine?" Marion asked, putting her feet up on the table.

"Oh, yeah. Queen of Hell still has God's ear? You talked to Him lately?" Dean asked, standing and walking around to stand next to Sam's chair.

"Not lately. Saw him after Charlie, but... not since you guys pulled the cork on the apocalypse bottle again. And, you know, He might not be Crowley's biggest fan, but He didn't tell me not to pursue a relationship with him. If He'd told me to back off, I would've. Kinda have to, you know?"

"So, God didn't tell you not to, that's your justification?" Sam asked.

"You want justification? I'm an idiot, obviously. I wanted to have something so badly that I let myself be manipulated by Crowley, again. I'm _such_ an idiot that I'm actually hoping he might do something to prove us wrong. And God sent me to him. He knows my actions before I perform them, so He had to have known I'd marry Crowley. Now, hopefully, he'll show up to deal with the cluster-fuck that the world has turned into. Sam could be right."

"I believe God made a fairly definitive statement when he walked away." Castiel grumbled as he stood. He looked down at the shackles in disdain. 

"Sorry about those, Cas. 'Til we know what's going on with you, you're still a bit of a wild card, you know?" Dean tossed a beer at Marion who caught it, effortlessly, then grabbed another and walked around the table, tossing a can to Sam.

Sam looked around the library, tapped his fingers against the top of the beer can, then focused on Dean. "I hate to point this out, but... you guys know who we might _need_ to help deal with the Darkness."

Dean pointed at him. "Don't even say it." 

"He was God's scribe. He did hear about everything." 

"That's just like saying it." Dean groaned.

"No one wants to deal with Marv." Marion mumbled as Castiel began to breathe heavily and grunt.

"Cas, you all right, pal?" Dean asked, turning to him.

"It's the spell." 

"Duh." Marion said, standing to grab a pitcher of water from the other end of the table.

"We were hoping your angel wiring would fight it off or... slow it down, at least." Sam said.

"It appears I simply respond differently from humans." 

"If you were human, you'd be gone. With you, it's like it's digging deeper." Dean contemplated.

"You know, Rowena's the only one who can remove it." 

"We're doing everything we can to find her, okay? But so far, we got nothing." Dean said as Marion handed the glass of cold water to the angel.

"Maybe, I shouldn't have pulled my grace. I could have found h-"

"No!" The men chorused as Cas shook his head. 

"We'll figure this out and we'll figure it out as humans. As hunters and Men of Letters. Okay? You don't need your grace and we won't be givin' it back to you." Dean growled.

"Well, he's getting worse." She said, solemnly.

"We just gotta find Rowena. Shouldn't be too hard, right?" Sam encouraged.

"Well, Crowley's probably got a bead on her, right? Maybe we should ask him." Dean suggested, throwing a sideways look at Marion, who scoffed loudly.

"Not me. Not when I told him, just last night, that I thought he was using me and told him I wanted to go back to hunting monsters instead of sleeping with one. Fuck you, Dean. You call him." 

Dean nodded. "I deserve that." He said, standing and pulling out his phone. 

"You really told him that?" Sam asked, his eyebrows raised. 

Marion nodded. "There were... words. Emotional words that I will regret if he... proves me wrong." She shook her head at herself. "I had Lily and Claire put the house on demon lock down. He can't even get in to see Celeste. What kind of woman keeps a man from his-"

"Hey. He's not a man. And he'd take her, just to spite you. You know he would." 

"I know. That's why they've salted the hell out of their house."

"To keep Hell out of their house?" Sam asked with a small smirk.

Marion chuckled. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Crowley, answer your damn phone. We have to talk. Don't worry, it's not about what happened with Amara and it's not about you marrying my sister without so much as an invitation. Call me back." Dean looked at his phone for a minute, then hit redial. "Crowley, pick up, you ass."

"He's probably not gonna answer, Dee." Marion mumbled, popping open her beer.

"Yeah, I'll give it a couple more tries. Maybe I can annoy him into answering."

"Or, he'll just hand his phone to one of his assistants and tell them to give it back when someone important calls in." Marion responded, taking a drink. She made a face and pushed it across the table. "Still not a beer fan. I bought a bottle of wine. I'm gonna go pop that open." She said to herself, standing.

"There's glasses in the kitchen." Dean said, hitting redial again. He was standing at the far end of the library with the phone at his ear when Marion got back with her glass of white wine. "Come on, Crowley, pick up. I've left you a dozen messages." 

He turned off the phone and turned to the group. "Why isn't he answering the phone?"

"Because he's a dick, and that's not breaking news." Marion said, sitting in the chair across from Cas.

"Also, he got dumped by our sister last night."

"He's gotta have Rowena in his sights, right? I mean, she did try to take him out." Dean reasoned, walking behind Cas to get to his chair.

"He's not going to deliver Rowena to us just so she can lift the spell. He'd rather let it do whatever it's gonna do to me." Castiel said, tiredly.

"He's gotta be up to something." Dean contemplated.

Marion looked down. _He's changing locales and taking care of the Darkness. Man's busy._  


"Yeah. Again, not breaking news. Metatron is also off the grid. He stole your car in Blaine, Missouri, right?" Sam asked, staring at his laptop.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, uh, no accidents, incidents, violations, or anything remotely interesting involving a crappy '78 Continental Mark V."

"You think it's crappy?" Cas asked, offended, his eyes darting between the Winchesters.

"Eye of the beholder." 

"Yeah." Sam covered.

"We aren't really into Lincolns, Cas. Classic cars of the Chevy and Ford variety are more our thing." Marion said.

"Fuck a Ford. Chevy, Cas. You can do no wrong with a Chevrolet." Dean directed the words at his sister. 

"'82 Cavalier." Marion challenged.

"Okay, but-" Dean started.

"'60 Corvair."

"Yeah, but that was-"

"'80 Citation, the Chevette was a joke and you can't even work on the '75 Monza without taking the whole fucking engine out. You most definitely _can_ do wrong with a Chevy. I'm not sayin' Ford is perfect, but neither is Chevrolet."

Dean took a drink of his beer and sat down. "I hate that you have my memories, sometimes. All the little shit I know... not many people can argue with me with my own damn information."

"At least I didn't mention the Vega." She whispered, taking a drink of her wine. 

"Oh, thanks for that." 

Cas looked between the twins in confusion before clearing his throat. "A shut-in for centuries, former scribe of God. You wouldn't think he would be a good driver."

"You know what? I'll look for unusual occurrences at places he might hang out." Sam began to type on the keyboard. Castiel didn't seem to notice as everyone turned their attention to him. "Cas?" Castiel looked up at them, lazily.

"Places Metatron might hang out?"

"Um... I mean, he loves waffles. You could try places that have those." 

"Okay, so, every restaurant in the entire country." Dean responded. 

"Bookstores and libraries. Public gardens. He liked the Garden in Heaven." Marion said as Castiel started to grunt painfully and went into a seizure. Dean and Sam jumped out of their chairs as he fell to the floor, shaking.

"Cas? Cas, hey!" Dean shouted, putting his hands on the angel to steady him. "Easy! Easy! Cas?!"

"Roll him over onto his back. This isn't a seizure, not really. I want to see his eyes." Marion said, standing and moving to lean over Cas' head. Sam and Dean rolled him onto his back and Marion wrenched his eyelids open with her first finger and thumb. She stared into his blue orbs and tilted her head in frustration. "We have to get this fixed."

She let his lids go as he stopped shaking and looked at her brothers. "You said, 'digging deeper'. Well, you're not wrong, Dean. This will... burn him from the inside out and I don't think any of us want to see that."

Castiel began to blink up at them. "Cas? Hey. Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"Relative to what?" 

"You know where you are? What's the date?" Dean asked. 

"Earth." Cas exhaled slowly. "Several billion years from the beginning." 

Dean nodded and leaned over to help the angel sit up. "Come on, buddy. Come on."

"It's like I was... inside a blender that was set to puree for a tomato salsa."

"And you're the tomato?" 

Castiel looked toward Dean, but not fully at him. "In this analogy, yes." 

"Cas, what was that? You scared the crap out of us... well, most of us." Sam didn't seem to trust how calm Marion had been about it.

"I blacked out for a lot of it. But I... I don't know. It overwhelmed me. I-I couldn't control it." 

"Let's get him up." The brothers each grabbed a shoulder and lifted Cas, guiding him back into his chair. "Here you go. We gotta find that witch."

"Yeah." Sam agreed.

"What can I do to help?" Cas asked, breathlessly.

"No, no, no, you just, uh, sit there and take a breather. Try and put yourself back together." Sam insisted, before going to sit back at his laptop. 

"Okay." He whispered as Dean wrapped the blanket around him again. "I'll do my best. It's... It's difficult with these voices."

"Now there are voices?" Sam asked.

Dean took a step back from Castiel. "Are these voices telling you to hurt someone?" 

"No. Guys, I'm-"

"It's Angel Radio, you dinguses." Marion snickered.

"It's a lot of chatter. They're... they've been looking for me ever since I escaped, as well as scouring the Earth for the perp." Cas looked between the surprised-looking brothers. "It's slang for perpetrator."

"Ah." Dean exclaimed softly.

"Yeah, thank you." Sam said, sarcastically. "Um, a-any... perp in particular?"

"Metatron." Marion answered, picking up her wine glass again. "They're doubling their efforts to find him. Sending down more angels in an attempt to locate him. Pulling on the fundamentalist bell-ringers again."

"You still hearing that?" Dean asked, turning to his twin.

"I might be kinda graceless but I'm still angelic. Still got all of that primordial archangel stuff in me." 

"What do you mean, 'kinda'?"

"It started coming back immediately. We discussed this. Anyway, if we need Metatron, we better find him soon."

"Yeah, before the God squad does. All right, well... first thing's first." Dean sat down in front of his computer as Marion sipped her wine.

"Listen to this. May be something here. Uh, in Denver, three women were at this Cafe Elta when their waiter, for no apparent reason, stabbed and killed one. One survived and the third vanished after furniture seemed to slide around by itself. What do you think?" Sam asked. 

Dean typed up a Google search for the Denver PD phone number and pulled out his phone. "Hi, who's your lead on the Cafe Elta investigation?" He asked, standing. "Hello, Detective, my name's Agent Kirby. I'm with the FBI. That Cafe Elta thing just dropped on my desk, it bears a striking resemblance to something that happened in Portland 2 years ago. My partner and I are gonna need to come down and talk to your survivor." 

Dean cleared his throat. "Yeah, that's fine. I can put you through to my boss, just keep it short. She's, uh, a real ball-buster, especially when it comes to wasting her time. Gimme a minute." He put his hand over the phone's mic and looked at Marion. "Can you 'Bobby' this?"

"Of course." She whispered, putting her hand out for the phone. "Supervisory Special Agent Simmons, what do you need, Detective?"

"Uh, just confirmation that your Agents are supposed-"

"Look, they go where I tell them to go. If I send them to your shitstain of a police department to look into the women who got sliced and diced in your quaint cafe, then that's where they go. It's not your job to question the FBI. It's your job to let them talk to the woman who may be the best witness we've ever had for the Fleisch Messer. You don't even know who that is, do you? Didn't think so. So, why don't you stop asking stupid questions and just get the witness ready to talk to the big leagues, okay, Detective? My boys'll be there in about 5 hours." She said, before handing the phone back to Dean, who looked greatly impressed.

"Yeah, man, I hear ya. No, she's not so bad on a normal day. Trust me, I've done that math." Dean chuckled into the phone. "Yeah. We can make it there in about 5, just like she said. Great. We will see you, then." He said, before turning off the phone.

"Tell me you didn't just agree when he said, 'It must be her time of the month'."

"There was a point in time where I _did_ have that math done, but you died and you've been an angel and you were pregnant for a while. Don't have that math anymore. Gotta do new math, soon, I know."

"Dean. Go get dressed." Sam suggested as Marion's eyes narrowed at her twin. "You, uh, don't mind staying here, keeping an eye on Cas?"

"Yeah. No, I don't mind. I need a break, anyway. Brush my teeth, take a shower, all that human stuff. So, you know, not keeping a close eye on my rage-y ex, but... you know... eyes will be kept. Go get dressed."

Sam chuckled and stood, walking out of the library. Castiel looked toward Marion, who was sipping at her wine. "I'm sorry your marriage didn't work out." 

"No, you aren't." She responded, her eyes snapping to his. "You hate him and hate that I love him. I hate that I love him, too. It's a different kind of hate for you, isn't it?"

"I don't... what?"

"It's not jealousy and it can't be that he's a demon. I mean, you were pretty close to Meg. So, I don't understand why you have such a problem."

"Because... it's Crowley. He's evil." Castiel was breathless. 

"Everyone is, to some point. Look, though, my marriage isn't your concern. If it falls apart completely, if I never go back to him, it still won't be any of your business. Understand?" Cas nodded, so she stood, polishing off the last of her wine. "I'm going to go take an incredibly long shower, see that water pressure everyone swears by. My brothers will likely be gone by the time I get out of there. You will be right here. Don't fuck with the chains." 

******************************

Marion grabbed an apple from the kitchen before heading to the library. "Hey, I just got a text from Sam. They picked up Rowena and will be here in a few hours."

Castiel looked up at her. "That was fast."

"It's my brothers. Did you expect anything else?"

"Marion..." He groaned as he sat up in his seat and looked up at her with heavy-lidded eyes. "I want you to know that you... aren't gullible. You just... want to be loved."

"And I keep picking men who can't possibly love me."

"I loved you."

"No, you didn't. You loved Meg pretending to me."

"It wasn't Meg's smile that I fell for. It wasn't her sweetness. I... I know I've made some mistakes, but... I wasn't mistaken about that."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm... trying to make amends?"

"Okay... uh, I'm gonna go... bake?" She looked down at the apple in her hand and nodded. "Yeah. I'm gonna pie this apple. You... stay... here." She stepped away from the angel and walked back toward the kitchen.

"Hey. It's Marion. I just wanted to check on you and Lily and, of course, Celeste. Give me a call back when you get this." She set her phone on the table and went around the kitchen collecting supplies. "It's not a bad sign that Claire didn't answer. Probably asleep. What time is it in Indiana? What time is it here? Are we on the same timezone? I think we are... Shit, it's past 10. They're asleep. No biggie. Late night pie. Dean will be happy."

*********************

Marion watched as her mother in-law was pulled by chains toward the Men Of Letters stacks. "You okay?" Sam asked, stopping beside her.

"Well, you hear stories about monster-in-laws, but... Rowena really takes the cake, you know?"

"Oh, Bobbi, lass. How are you, dear?"

"Better than you, Rowena."

"And my son, where is he while yer here with yer brothers?"

"It's Marion, grandma. And she and Crowley are getting a divorce." Dean pulled the redhead further along.

"Oh?"

"It's more of a trial separation at this point, but yeah. Too much evil in his side of the family. Had to step back so that Celeste would have a fighting chance."

"Hey, why don't you go get Cas, we'll set Rowena up in the devil's trap and we can get this show on the road." Sam suggested, pushing her toward the library. Marion just nodded and walked away.

"Hey. Good news. The witch is here. Let's get you back to normal." Marion jumped up happily next to Cas' chair and bent down to unlock his chains. She didn't register the pain of the angel's fist until she was on the floor, his hands tight around her throat. She beat her useless hands against his shoulders and punched at his reddened eyes, but her vision soon tunneled out and she was lost to darkness.


	27. The Well

"Marion!" Sam's voice broke through the haze of darkness. "Mare! What- what'd he do to you? Fuck, look at your neck."

She croaked as she blinked up at her brother. "Don't try to talk. Don't... damn. Don't move. I'm gonna go get Dean." Sam sat her in a chair and ran toward the stacks. Dean was running faster than Sam as they exited the hallway on the way to the library.

"Marion. What happened? Where's Cas?"

"Dean, he's obviously gone." Sam snapped.

Dean seemed to get the point, so he reached out to examine his twin's neck. "You okay?"

She nodded, wincing at the fingers at her throat. She stood, on wobbly legs. "Let's... go." She squeaked.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? Cas put you down faster than a rabid dog. You are gonna stay here and rest." Dean ordered, grabbing her arm.

She jerked her arm back and threw up a middle finger. "I'm going. Grab Rowena." She whispered, grabbing her phone and her flannel over-shirt. Sam just shrugged as she stomped up the spiral staircase and out the heavy iron door.

Marion was sitting in the backseat of the Impala when Dean pushed Rowena into the car. The witch smiled at her. "Dear, you're looking a wee raggedy."

"Shut up." She croaked.

"Oh. Someone go a bit far with the asphyxia games?" Rowena patted Marion's thigh in mock empathy.

"Rowena, shut up. We don't need your friggin' commentary. And keep your hands to yourself." Dean ordered, shutting the door as Marion slapped the well-manicured hand off of her leg.

Sam pulled his tablet into his lap as Dean pulled out of the garage, racing down the road. "Take 36. He's headed East."

**************************

"It's so absurd, driving in circles looking for your unhinged angel." Rowena said, about 45 minutes later as they turned onto a state road heading to Topeka.

"We're not driving in circles, all right? We're locked onto his phone's G.P.S. We're tracking his location." Dean answered.

"I have no idea what you just said, but I'm sure I could do it faster." Rowena put her hands up in a shackled jazz hands.

"Yeah, maybe you could, but you would have to do a spell." Sam spat toward the backseat. "Which means we would have to take the cuffs off, and we are not going to take the cuffs off."

"There's no trust? Are we not a team?"

Marion snorted derisively as Sam and Dean answered with a succinct. "No."

Rowena waited until they'd made it into the city limits before starting in again. "You wouldn't think a road trip with two such strapping lads could be this tedious. Shall we have a wee sing-song? Not you, of course, dear. Rest yer voice."

"No!" The brothers chorused.

"I have myself to blame. Should never make deals with Winchesters, since they seem unable to hold up their end of the bargain."

"Meaning what?" Dean growled.

"Oh, just that thing between Sam, Crowley and myself."

Marion shook her head at the woman, but Sam immediately looked guilty. "What?" Dean turned to their brother. "What's she talking about?"

"Oh, surely, you knew Sam made a deal with me to kill my son if I removed the Mark of Cain from yer arm. I can see Bobbi knew. Well, is the Mark gone? Yes. Is Crowley dead? No. Mm. Oh. He didn't know? He didn't know!"

"Look, I was gonna tell you guys. Obviously, nothing ever came of it, so I-I figured there was no point, you know?"

"No point, huh?"

"I-I mean, I see what Dean's saying. Your wee pal Castiel wouldn't be in this pickle if you'd done what you'd promised. I would've had no reason to cast the attack dog spell if Crowley were already dead. Excellent point." Rowena chirped from the back.

"It's not my point. Sam knows my point. Keyword: 'Secrets'."

"Ah. Well, I'm just glad I got the conversation flowing. Family relations are a speciality of mine." Rowena said.

"Hey." Sam called attention to the tablet, holding up so Dean could see.

"Did he stop?"

"Yeah, he stopped. And he's close."

Marion leaned over to Rowena as Dean pulled off into an alleyway. "Sam tried his hardest." She whispered directly in the redhead's ear. "But I wasn't going to let a little bitch like you take my husband away. You may not love him, Rowena, but I do."

"Why leave, then?"

"Some feelings can't be matched."

"Come on." Dean said, pulling Rowena out of the back. "All right. He's gotta be around here somewhere. So, me and Marion'll head up the street, you two head the other way."

"Are you jokin'? I'm _in_ heels."

Dean looked down, then rolled his eyes as Sam guided her down the street and Marion rushed after Dean. About half a block down a blond passed them. "Hey."

"Get a life."

"Hi. Ugh."

Marion grabbed Dean's arm as a noise grabbed her attention down another alley. Dean nodded to acknowledge he'd heard it, too, then headed across to the alley. She followed him through a red door, which had been busted open. A scream pierced their ears, drawing them to Castiel and a brunette woman. Dean rushed forward. "Cas! Cas! Don't do this. Okay, this isn't you. It's the spell. You can beat this." A growling emanated from the angel as he continued to choke the woman. "Cas. Let her go."

Marion helped the woman out, wordlessly, as Dean instructed, "Go! Go, go, go!" Once they made it to the street, Marion turned to the woman.

"Hospital. Go." She said as forcefully as she could, before flagging down Sam and Rowena as they came down the street.

"Desiste." Sam put his pistol to the witch's head, making Rowena stop the angel. Cas and Dean looked around in confusion as Rowena glared at Sam.

"Do I need to remind you these are witch-killing bullets?" Sam growled. "Finish it!"

"Yes, yes, all right. Adlevo onus tuum." Castiel immediately began to shake, falling to his knees, then dropping to the ground. Dean was immediately upon him.

"Cas? Cas? Hey. Hey, hey, hey." He whispered as the angel started to come back. Dean helped him sit up. "Come on. Come on. Yeah. Hey."

"Permitte telum." Rowena flung the pistol across the room, then pointed to the left, sending Sam flying. "Abi!" Dean ran to stop her, grunting out a 'no' as he did, but she just brought down the safety gate on him. "Impedi! I'm sure you had every intention of honoring our deal... but why take chances?"

As Rowena made it outside, she turned to Marion, leaning against the alley wall. "Are you going to try to stop me? I don't see it working out well for you."

"Nothing works well for me." Marion coughed to clear her throat and stepped carefully toward her mother-in-law. "Do you remember when we met?"

"When you were spying on me for Fergus?"

"When you were teaching me The Craft. Abi!" Rowena flew through the air, but landed on her designer heels.

"You remember?! Amazing. Oh, you could have been such a powerful witch. Too bad. Meatus Impeditus." Rowena shouted, calling several wooden pallets to block Marion's path to her. By the time Marion had kicked through them, the witch was gone so she turned and headed back to the warehouse, where Sam was pulling the gate up.

"She got away."

"Yeah, we figured." Dean grumbled.

"You think I couldn't have done it? So much for the human empowerment thing. I _am_ useless without-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Sam ordered as the gate lifted into place. "You do _not_ need your grace."

"Sure. Meet ya at the car." She stomped away.

"Dean! Stop it. None of us stopped Rowena."

"Does she think I'm placing all the blame on her?" Dean asked, following her out.

"You made it seem that way." Castiel muttered.

Marion was sitting in the back of the Impala by the time they arrived, earbuds in her ears and eyes closed. "Mare... I can't hear your music, which means you can hear me. Take out the headphones." Her eyes popped open, and one earbud was pulled from her ear. "Look. It's been a long day. Hell, it's been a long year... uh, and that's not an excuse, but... I didn't mean to make you think you're at fault for Rowena getting away. You got hit with a wall of pallets, so... I'm sorry."

"You ever get tired of apologizing to me?"

"Yeah, but... if we're not fighting with each other, how we gonna know we're family?"

Marion scoffed, then chuckled. "You're such a jerk. Take us home."

*********************

The next two weeks took their toll on everyone, with everyone getting a touch of cabin fever. Marion quickly discovered that her nostalgic thoughts of sleep when she was an angel had been self-delusional. She was plagued with nightmares, often having to calm panic when she woke drenched in sweat. Some nights she woke from her Lucifer-laden dreams convinced that she was still dreaming.

And Castiel would be there, his hand resting on her shoulder. He'd always slip out of the room as soon as she calmed and never was a word spoken, but it was nice to know someone had her back. She found herself feeling glad for Castiel's continuing presence, and that scared her. That was a well she was not going to fall down, again.

Marion woke at about 3am. She'd slept through most of the night, dreaming of Castiel instead of Lucifer. She put on sweatpants and Nike sneakers and slipped out of the bunker to go running. No Castiel, no well of trouble, just her feet on the pavement. Two hours later, as rain poured down on her, she returned soaking wet.  She passed the garage on the way to the showers, showing the Impala was gone. She stopped by her room and grabbed her phone. 4 missed calls and a voicemail from Dean told her that they'd slipped out for a case. "It's thin. Probably nothing. We'll be back in a couple days. Keep an eye on Cas for me."

"You'll get sick if you stay in wet clothes."

Marion closed her eyes. Cas had the habit of showing up when she really didn't want to see him. "I'm about to shower." She turned to the angel in her doorway. "Did they say where they're going?"

"Oregon. Near Eugene."

"Okay. When I get out of the shower, I'll check if there's been anything hinky in that area."

"I will do that. No need to stress yourself."

She scoffed as she grabbed a towel. "I'm not stressed."

"Then why are you having nightmares?"

Marion looked down. He hadn't mentioned them, so she was hoping he'd made a decision _never_ to mention them. "Making up for lost nights, I guess."

"What do you see?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I don't understand."

Marion sighed. "Why are you asking me this, now? I've been having nightmares for two weeks and you've known the whole time. Why are you asking me about them, now?"

"Because Dean and Sam are gone, now. I thought you might be more likely to be honest when they're away."

Marion let out a deep sigh, leaning against her dresser. "We... we aren't friends, Cas. We were lovers; and then we weren't. We are nothing to each other. I have no reason to confide in you. Whether my brothers are around has no bearing on this." She stood and turned to him. "My nightmares are my business and I appreciate your... concern, but... you don't actually care."

"I do. I-"

"Barely know me. I'm not the woman you deceived a few years ago. I'm not even the damaged angel I came back as. I walked away from the only man who actually knows me because my brothers, who care by default, convinced me I should."

"I'd like to know you."

Marion closed her eyes. "I need a shower." She said, slipping past Castiel into the hallway.

***********************

Marion slipped away as Castiel was researching for her brothers. She left a note on Dean's bed promising to return and drove away. She needed to see her daughter. She ignored Cas' phone calls and just kept driving. By the time she made it to Rockville, the sun was going down. She knocked at the door of the house she'd helped to pick and smiled as a exhausted-looking Claire answered the door.

"Marion! You look... different."

"It's a long story. May I come in?"

"Of course." Claire stepped out of the way and Marion stepped over the salt line. "Is everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah. It's just... It's been a few weeks and I thought you deserved to hear from me. I... I sent you into panic mode and I... didn't actually explain." Claire gestured at the couch, so Marion sat down. "Um... Crowley is... Crowley is no longer..."

She chuckled, the words failing her, until they flowed out all at once. "We broke up. We broke up and I'm not an angel right now and I feel completely useless, and I'm so glad that my daughter is with two capable powerful witches. How is she?"

"You aren't an... she's fine. Sleeping."

"Can I see her?" Claire just nodded and headed up the stairs. Marion followed. She stood in the door and stared at the sleeping baby. "You're doing an amazing job. She's beautiful."

"She's got a bit of cradle cap. Baby dandruff, but... she's... she's happy."

"Good. Good."

"Um... you look tired. I could set up the couch."

"I don't want to impose."

"No, of course you wouldn't be imposing. You're Celeste's mother."

"No. You and Lily are. I will take that couch, though."

"All right. Let me grab a blanket. Come on." Claire said leading her down the stairs. 


	28. Miss Missing You

Marion spent the next few weeks in Indiana. Dean and Sam seemed to understand the need for her to be with Celeste and Lily and Claire had welcomed her to their home as long as she needed. The time with Celeste was helpful for her, being calmed by the smell of the baby and the opportunity to do motherly things. The simple things like bathing her or feeding her.

"So, where's Crowley set up at?" Dean asked, over her cell phone as she sat down on Claire and Lily's front porch swing.

"I don't know. Why would I know that?"

"Look, it's important. He's got Amara. Can you think of a clue, anything that might point us to his-"

"I'm sorry he's got the Darkness, Dean, but when I told him that I was taking my grace out, he told me he was vacating."

"Great. Look, we're in Fall River, Massachusetts. Amara's been eating souls around here, leaving a trail of soulless husks that Crowley has been sending demons to clean up. Do you know any... does he have any property out here that you know of?"

Marion sighed. "Do you need me out there?"

"No, I don't _need_ you out here, Marion. I _need_ to know if there are any places in or around Fall River, Massachusetts that Crowley likes to call home."

"Last place he was calling home was a big stone mansion in upstate New York, near Canton. Before that was a Welsh castle. Nothing in Massachusetts... that I know of, but like I said, D., he told me that he was going to vacate."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks. I'll call you when we know anything."

"All right. Love ya, Dean."

A couple hours later, she got a call asking if an old abandoned asylum seemed like his sort of dwelling. "Of course. You got a bead on him?"

"Needham Asylum. It's a couple miles away from Fall River. Sam and I are heading over there to check it out." 

"And if Amara is there?"

"Then, we gank her. It's pretty simple, sis."

"D., I'm fairly certain she's not a baby, anymore; not after months of soul-binging. She's gonna be looking at you, talking to you, with a mind filled with whatever things  _Crowley_ thought a young powerhouse needed to know. I expect Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and Hitler. You think you can get the drop on her?"

"Don't doubt me."

"I'm not doubting you, Dean, but... Be careful. We don't know how strong she is. She's isn't called 'The Darkness' for fun."

"Gotcha. Keep my niece safe."

"Of course."

************

Marion pulled her foot back over the salt line and leaned against the wall next to the door.

"I'm not here to fight, Pony. Notice how I'm not burning the bloody hot down to smoke you and the witches out. Not stealing my princess away. Just here to talk."

Marion kept her back to the wall. "Go ahead. I'm listening."

Crowley took a drink from the tumbler in his fist. "Amara's gone."

"Is she dead?"

"No. Dean tried, but couldn't kill the girl. More puzzling,  _she_ couldn't kill him. In fact, she stopped  _me_ from killing him, demanded his safe passage out of Needham. Then, she left."

Crowley drained the glass, then filled it from a bottle of Craig that was suddenly in his hand. "And there I was; alone. No surrogate daughter, no bowlegged Winchester. No demon lackeys. Just me. I was hit with how lonely I am without you, Marion. I miss you. Please."

She stepped out the door and shut it behind her. "Let's forget that you just lost your hold on the Darkness and immediately came to get your archangel back. Let's pretend I actually believe you miss me." She hugged her arms around herself. "You just told me that you tried to kill my twin brother, a man I'm so connected to that I, literally, have his memories in my head."

"Pony, wai-"

"Even if I believed you, Crowley, and I really wish I could because I've learned over the last couple months that I really do love you, but... You're evil and you'll never not be evil, so I can't be with you."

Crowley stood, the swing pushing out behind him. "Marion."

"Go home."

"I don't have a home without you."

"You have a Hell. A neglected kingdom."

"I don't want to go down there without you at my side."

"Go, Crowley. Now." Her voice was firm even if her eyes watered.

"Let me expl-" Crowley reached for her hand, which she jerked toward the lawn. 

"Abi! 

He looked up from his new location, suddenly on his back on the grass. "What was that?"

"Grace-fueled witchcraft. Claire and Lily have been expanding on what Rowena started last year. I'm getting quite good at it." She stepped down from the porch and walked up to him as he sat up. "I won't be an angel anymore because I refuse to be your weapon, but I won't be defenseless or weak, either."

"Marion. I have nothing if I don't have you."

"Then, you have nothing but your Hell. I'm sorry." 

"Don't do this."

She bent down next to him, her hands resting on her knees. "Begging really isn't your style, Crowley. Sack up and move on."

Crowley growled, then disappeared. Marion closed her eyes and ran her hand through her hair.

*************

Marion walked into the bunker, dropping her keys and bags on the map table and looked around for signs of life. When she came to the kitchen, she stopped in her tracks. An assortment of colorful junk food adorned the table. She couldn't tear her eyes away as she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed her twin. "Did you rent the bunker's kitchen out to a clown chef?"

"What?! Oh. No. That was... Sam's old imaginary friend. Who, it turns out, is less imaginary and more Casper the friendly... not quite a fairy, but guiding figment." 

"Where are you?" Marion asked, her eyes falling on a platter of marshmallow fluff nachos.

"Menomonie, Wisconsin. Guess you're an angel again." Dean said, pulling the phone away from his ear as she appeared in front of him.

"Imaginary friends are real?" She asked, pulling her phone away from her ear, too.

"Yeah. Maybe an angel can see 'em without the mojo. He's over there with Sam." Dean said, pointing away from the road toward a warehouse.

"Sully?!" She exclaimed, running toward the zanna whose eyes lit up.

"Marion? Marion Cornwell? What are you doing with Sam and Dean?" Sully shouted, opening his arms for a hug. 

"It's 'Winchester', actually. They're my brothers." Marion wrapped her arms around the plump zanna.

"What?! You really were Rapunzel? Stolen away by evil witches and hidden in the basement of a tower? 

"I'm sorry... Sully was your friend, too?" Sam asked.

"The basement was lonely." 

"Oh, Marion and I used to play fairy tales for hours in that basement. Oh, and don't forget: marshmallow-"

"Nachos! I couldn't possibly forget. When she gets old enough, I'm gonna make them for my daughter."

"Marshmallow nachos? I thought I made that up?" Sam's look of confusion made Sully smile.

"You did! Marion just made it up first." Sully turned back to Marion. "You're a mom? That's great!"

Marion pulled her phone out and went to the photo gallery. "Her name's Celeste and she is brilliant. I'm definitely one of those moms who takes far too many pictures of her kid."

"Wow! Look at those eyes. What color are those? Rainbow?"

"They are hazel-green, with flecks of red and blue. Gorgeous, aren't they?"

"Red in the eyes?! That's not normal."

"The dad's a demon, so..." Dean griped.

"A demon?!"

"Life got complicated over the last few years, Sully. Pretty much everything after I left the basement, actually. It's not a big deal. I became an angel and God kinda had me go get pregnant. Her father isn't important. Her moms are. This is Claire and that's Lily. They are amazing to Celeste." Marion flipped through the pictures to one of Lily and Claire holding Celeste.

"She has 3 moms and a demon dad? 

"Yeah. You saw what things were like for Sam. This life is too dangerous, even for the most badass critter God ever put together. I gave her up for adoption to these two. They're white witches and they are the most amazing women I've ever met, excepting Charlie, Celeste's namesake."

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but is it normal for siblings to both have the same zanna?" Sam stepped next to Sully.

"No, actually. Siblings usually have different needs and there's hundreds of thousands of us so it doesn't happen often, except in cases of twins like Reese. It keeps them thinking we're imaginary if they can't compare notes, you know?"

"Hey, Dean, I got your twin's imaginary friend. Neat."

"Look, um, we gotta..." Dean trailed off. 

"Oh, I guess it's that time, again." Sully said, sadly.

"You, um, you'll look in on Reese?" Dean asked.

"Don't worry, I will be checking in. And Dean, thank you for looking out for Sam. You are not a germ at all."

"Thanks? You know, you're not gonna get me to admit that you're not the weirdest thing out there, but... you're a good weird."

Sully turned back around and smiled at Marion. "You keep that baby happy. And keep you happy. I miss your smile, Rapunzel." Then turned to Sam. "Good luck, buddy." He disappeared and Dean turned to his siblings.

"Let's do it."

Marion followed her brothers to the Impala and sat in the backseat, crossing her legs under her.

"Dean, we need to seriously discuss me going to the Cage." Sam's voice was worried but adamant.

"Okay. Not happening. Good talk. Sam, even if these visions are real-"

"I'm sorry? Visions?" Marion sat forward, uncrossing her legs and raising her eyebrows.

"Oh, yeah, let's ask Mare. Does God ever talk in visions?"

"Not to me, He always shows up in person to talk to me, but I haven't seen Him since before you guys let His sister out. I think, maybe, that's how He communicated with Joshua... What are... Are you having visions from God, Sammy?"

"Since the Darkness has been out, I've had... I've had several visions and the last couple have been about the Cage, about Lucifer. He'd know how the Darkness was defeated last time."

"Why would God send you visions when He's got a Winchester on the payroll?"

"Thank you." Dean chimed in.

"Well, you haven't talked to God since He gave your grace back, so maybe He's pissed at you."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, maybe He doesn't like that you married a demon while on His payroll." 

Marion rolled her eyes. "And you think God wants you to go talk to Lucifer in the Cage? God is the one who put him back in there after I fucked up."

"I'm not saying let him out."

"No, you're saying go to Hell, a place Crowley even hates; to the deepest, darkest, hardest-to-deal-with part of Hell. I can't believe that He'd ask that of you and I don't think you should do it."

" _If_ these visions are real..." Dean started again.

"Yeah. It's Lucifer? And me? In the Cage? I know. But this- this lump in my throat... It's not an excuse. Not anymore."

"We'll find another way, okay? There's always another way." Dean responded.

"Okay." Sam sighed. "Then tell me- what is the other way?"

"We will come up with something. We- we always do." Marion closed her eyes and leaned back.

**************

"So, you wanna have us pull your-" Dean began as they walked into the bunker. 

"No. I mean, I _was_ wanting that when I came home, but... I think I should keep it. With Amara loose and Sammy talking about the Cage like that..." 

"Yeah, I suppose the extra firepower might not be a bad idea."

"Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna take a shower. One of y'all need to go clean the kitchen. The bugs have been loving the sugar, I'm sure." When she walked back into the library, cell phone in hand, the boys were sitting at the first table arguing.

"Dean, ordinarily I'd agree with you, but the visions only happen when I reach out to God. I asked him for a way to beat the Darkness and the visions got more specific... and I was in the Cage."

"Yeah, with _Lucifer_. The biggest monster ever hatched. Fan-freakin'-tastic!"

"You know Lucifer _was_ the biggest monster ever hatched, until you and I hatched ones that's even worse."

"I think you mean you and Rowena, Sammy." Marion set her phone on the table next to Dean's laptop and sat down.

"I wasn't talking to you, Marion."

"Yeah, I noticed and I'm wondering why. I mean, I'm the only one who's spoken to God face to face and I'm also the only one who has had more than cursory contact with Lucifer."

"You call being his vessel and being tortured in the Cage 'cursory'?"

"You barely remember that torture since Cas fixed your crazy. But I remember his manipulation and the lies and him pretending to be my friend. I  _know_ Lucifer and I'm telling you that if you walk into that Cage, Sammy, he's going to be wearing you out of it."

"I don't think so. Listen, in the vision, Lucifer touches me and I feel calm, like things will be all right **.** And that's not something I would ever come up with. I mean that is the last thing I would ever feel."

"If Lucifer touched you, it would be the last thing you think. Ever." Dean stood from the table and made his way to the whiskey. "Marion's right. Why would God even ask this of you? What proof do we have that any of this is actually real?"

"There was a burning bush."

"A burning bush?" Dean couldn't hide the disbelief in his voice.

"Like in the Bible."

"You were in the forest. There are bushes there and sometimes they burn!" Dean sat back down and shook his head. "You know what, man? Maybe there is something to it all. Maybe. And maybe there's not."

"Dean, doesn't it make sense? I mean, Lucifer would know how God ended the Darkness. He was there."

Dean shook his head and took a sip of his whiskey. "We're gonna have to talk to our brother-in-law."

Marion scoffed. "I am adamantly opposed to Sam going to the Cage and am even more opposed to you idiots talking my ex into dealing with it, too."

"I'm really happy you're calling him 'ex' but right now, Mare, we just need you to call him." Sam stood, picking her phone up from the table and placing it gingerly in her right hand.

Marion stared at the HTC phone in her palm. "Fine. I'll do this but only because... I have no clue how to defeat Amara." She tapped her speed dial, **'Crowley 666'** flashing onto the screen.

"What?" His voice was short. 

"I need to talk to-"

"You? Or your brothers?" Marion didn't respond. "Your brothers, then. What do the heroes need from the King of Hell this time?"

"It'll be better... Fergus, can we meet?"

"You're calling me 'Fergus', huh? You must really need me. Will Moose and Squirrel be joining us?"

"Yes." She responded quietly. 

"There's a bridge in Phillipsburg, off the 36. I'll meet you under it in an hour."

Her heart ached as the line clicked and she shoved her phone in her back pocket. "Phillipsburg bridge. One hour."

"Thanks. I know it's a lot to ask. You can stay here-" Sam started.

"No. I'm coming." She wanted to see him.

***********

"Before I hear your tale of woe, boys, I'd like to speak to my wife."

"She ain't wearin' your ring."

"I see that, Dean. But as a thousand wives of cheating husbands will tell you, removing your ring doesn't negate a marriage. She said she can't be with me, not that she  _never_  could. Besides, I'm going nowhere as long as Celeste lives. Shall we?" Crowley gestured toward the car, away from the homeless encampment. Marion stepped away from her brothers and looked at the king expectantly. "How's Celeste?"

"She's great. Already trying to walk. Knows a few words. She's gonna be so amazing and awesome."

"Gavin didn't say a word until he was almost 4." Crowley looked over her shoulder to Sam and Dean. "Why am I too evil to love but not too evil to ask for help?"

"Saving the world is in your best interest, too. I know you won't screw us over when it's the end of the world."

"I wouldn't screw-"

"Not me, but you'd definitely screw over my brothers. You three have a storied history of lies, manipulation and trying to kill each other. One day, one of you's gonna succeed and I hope to God it's not you." 

"I... understand. What's your brothers' prob?" He asked, walking back toward the hunters. 

"Sam had a 'Moses on the mountain' moment and they need your help with what they _think_ God has asked him to do."

"Two questions: why would God send you a burning bush when he could give Marion instructions? And, what do you think He wants you to do?"

"We think He may be mad at her. Having Celeste was one thing but  _marrying_ you? He hasn't spoken to her since right after the baby was born." Crowley turned his eyes on Marion, who looked down in an attempt to keep herself from arguing. She didn't want to let loose on Sam with how _wrong_ that felt, how she was certain she'd be able to feel if God was mad at her. "And the visions He has been sending me, they say one thing. I have to go to the Cage and talk to Lucifer." 

"So, God assured you of this, did He? I'd say you were making this up but I never think of you as imaginative." Crowley couldn't resist the barb at Sam for making Marion feel bad.

"We're not saying it's going to happen. We just want to know..."

"Theoretically." Sam added.

"If it's possible."

Crowley looked over at his bride, whose eyes were fixed on the gravel beneath their feet. He was sure she was literally biting her tongue. "The Cage is a can of worms you do not want to open. I believe this conversation is over..." Crowley lifted his hand to snap but Dean stopped him.

"Is it?" Crowley looked confused. "Crowley, you  _know_ that the Darkness is going to pound on everything and that includes you."

"Yeah. And you had a shot at taking her out when she was with you but apparently you thought that sucking up was the way to go." Sam chastised.

"And that didn't work out so well." Dean provided.

"Because she chose _you._ And _you_ couldn't control your girlfriend." Marion and Sam both shot their eyes to Dean, who looked uncomfortable. "What happened in that room? Why did she insist on sparing you? What is she to you?"

Dean swallowed, turning to his siblings, before standing tall, hands buried in his pockets. "Wanna know who she is, Crowley? How about God's sister."

"God's sister? He has _relatives?_  I had that kind of leverage under my thumb and I let it slip away." He whispered, disappointed.

"Yes, let's get nostalgic over the reason your wife left you." Marion mumbled. 

"Can we focus on the big picture here? Okay? Can Sam meet with Lucifer, or not?" Dean spat.

"In the Cage." Sam added.

"No, not in the Cage." Marion and Dean said together.

"That's not going to happen." Dean finished.

"Okay, then I don't meet with Lucifer. Guys we can't let him out."

Crowley was staring into space. "What?" The twins asked, pulling Crowley's attention to them.

"There may be a way. Clearly, if Sam enters the Cage, he's gone. I mean, yes, it's on my bucket list, but now is not the time to be selfish. Need a secure site, a way to neutralize Lucifer's powers."

"In Hell?" Sam asked. 

"Yes, in Hell! So we have a modicum of control. You think I want that abomination running amuck upstairs?"

"Is it possible to control the situation? Because if Sam's not safe, it's not happening."

"Goodness mummy, loosen the grip." Crowley rolled his eyes and Marion had to keep herself from smiling. He made it so hard to be mad at him. "Theoretically, it's possible. There are challenges. I can arrange for transit into Hell. Opening the Cage, that's another matter."

"You're the king of the joint. Don't you have a key?"

Marion couldn't control her bitch face. "Are you kidding me? Have we already forgotten Marion's main argument in why Crowley never had Sammy's soul? Leadership of Hell does not grant access to a cage that was locked by God!"

"The mechanisms are of divine manufacture. I believe its secrets, along with the spells for warding Sam were recorded where many such mysterious are found... The Book of the Damned."

Marion closed her eyes as Dean clapped a hand on her back. "Guess we gotta find mummy." His voice was disappointed.

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to be hating on the monster in-law?"

"Bitch has tried to kill us all a bunch of times. She's sneaky and-"

"Cas has tried to put me down more often then Rowena has." Marion responded.

"Don't worry about Mother. I'll bring her in. Call you when it's done." Crowley snapped and disappeared. 

"I'm getting the distinct impression that this isn't going to end well. Just, you know, putting that out there so that it's an unspoken when this goes belly up." Marion disappeared in a flurry of feathers.


	29. Last Name

Crowley called Marion when he heard back from his demons. So, she flew her brothers to his lair and watched from the door as Rowena was brought in, bag over her head. "Mother. Good of you to stop by." Crowley said, from his throne. 

"Unhand me, you goons." Rowena demanded. Crowley flicked his hands, sending the minions away. The witch adjusted her hair and took a deep breath, glaring at her son. "So, _Fergus_ , think you've won? Lay a hand on me and my followers will swoop down on this tin-can palace of yours with all the power of the Book of the Damned."

"Stow it, you lying bitch. If you could do that, you'd've done it. If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done  _that_." Crowley responded, playing with a small dagger.

Rowena tried to sound hurt as she said, "Not that you haven't  _tried_."

"You tried to kill me  _twice_."

"What is it they say? 'Third time's the charm'." She said with a smile. Marion took that as an opportunity to enter the room and support her ex. Sam and Dean followed her. Disgust slid over the woman's face. "Oh, you're not handing me over to  _them_? It's beneath even you. They're your enemies, as well."

"Two of 'em." Crowley muttered.

"All right, Rowena. We get it. We're all enemies, okay. But right now we’ve got bigger fish to fry. Then we can go back to killing each other." Dean growled.

Rowena smirked. "Ah, the chicken’s come home to roost. This ghastly force set free when the Mark was removed."

"So you know?" Sam asked, looking at her sideways.

"I’ve heard whispers. As bad as they say?" She seemed excited about it.

"Well, let’s just say that everyone in this room might hold a piece of the puzzle to corking it back up." Dean answered.

"Oh, really, and what happens to me once the danger is past? How do I know that I can trust any of you?"

"You don’t." Marion responded.

"None of us do. It’s a Devil’s bargain." Crowley finished.

"Fine. So... What are we up against?" Rowena asked.

"I think you mean, 'what fresh Hell did I unleash on this Earth while I was doing spellcraft as payment for regicide?'." Marion smiled, tightly, at Sam before turning flush with Rowena. "It's called The Darkness. Nice name, right? Nice chick. She goes by Amara, eats souls and pretty much wants to end everything God ever started, because sometimes sibling rivalry gets  _way_ out of _hand._ "

"Sibling rivalry?" Rowena asked, a perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised.

"The Darkness is God's sister." 

Rowena sat down at the long wooden table, Dean and Sam following her. Marion stood next to Crowley's throne, instead. "Can this be true? His _sister_! In my day, we'd all be burned at the stake for even _thinking_ any of this."

"You see, then, Mother, the need for urgency." 

Rowena turned her head to look at the king. "Well, if my deciphering of the Book is so pivotal, I'd like to know what's in it for me."

"You mean, other than your life?" The twins asked.

"Speaking of which..." Crowley stood, approaching the redhead. "I'll make you a little deal, Mummy. You pitch in like a good girl; I'll call off my assassins. No more looking over your shoulder... for now."

"I'll need the Codex, of course. And the code-breaker Charlie devised."

"You don't say her name." Marion whispered, furiously. Crowley put a hand on her shoulder, calming her down as Sam leaned forward.

"Yeah, you'll get limited access. Supervised."

"We need to know exactly this." Dean put his thumb up. "How to open the Cage and how to protect Sam once it is."

"Just what's in this cage that's so dangerous?" Rowena asked.

Marion reached up to cover Crowley's hand with her own. She shared a look with Sam, who seemed to not notice the tender touch. "Lucifer." She whispered as Sam answered out loud.

Rowena prickled up like a happy owl. "Lucifer? The original Dark Prince?"

"Yes. An archangel so badass that he was personally dumped into the Cage by God Himself." Dean finished.

Rowena squealed with excitement. "Well, let's get to it, then, lads." Everyone looked around, uncomfortable with the giddiness of the witch. Marion pulled away from Crowley, a bad feeling overtaking her.

"All right. We'll take  _her_ back to the bunker, deal with the books. You got your end, Crowley?" Dean asked.

"I'll need Marion." Crowley turned away, throwing the dagger into the seat of his throne. 

"No." The brothers responded, quickly and forcefully.

Crowley turned back to them, trying to look bored, but not hiding his anger well. "It will take too long to set up, myself. I need someone who knows her way around Hell, who has enough power to help me move the damn thing and won't look out of place down there. That's Marion. Like it or not, I need her."

"We don't want you to-" Dean started, but Marion put her hand up.

"Dean, I'm a grown archangel, you don't have a say. I'm gonna take you and the monster-in-law home and then I'm going to Hell. Fer... Crowley is right. He needs me. You don't have to worry. It's just work. Nothing..."

"Fun. Don't worry, Dean. I can take a hint. I'm single. Notice, one throne." Crowley interrupted, pointing at his throne. "Better that way. My whores were getting jealous of her, anyway. Get going. We all have work to do."

Marion put her hand out to her brothers, who each grabbed onto her, before she grabbed Rowena's shoulder and they suddenly appeared back at the bunker. "Hey." Dean grabbed her arm as Sam pulled Rowena away toward the dungeon. "Look. I know what you and Crowley-"

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, I know. I got no doubt that you can handle working with your ex-husband to send our little brother to go mix it up with Satan. I'm proud of how strong you ended up, Mare, but... I know Crowley's still feeling you and I know you still have... something there. I want you to know I'm proud and I trust you'll do the right thing."

"Of course, I will, Dean." Marion smiled, before disappearing. 

Appearing in Hell, she looked around. "Welcome back, my Queen." A demon named Simmons walked up to her. 

"I'm not..." Marion started, but shook her head. Crowley would tell them when he wanted. It wasn't her job. "Where's the King?"

"Behind you, pet. Ready to get to work?" Crowley called.

She turned and stepped to him. "Where do  _they_ think my throne is, Fergus? Because they obviously don't know I left you." She whispered.

"They haven't had the insolence to ask. Let's go." Crowley started walking in the direction of the Cage. Marion followed. "I'll tell the court when I'm certain you are  _never_ coming back."

"Fergus, I'm _not_ coming-"

"You say that but you definitely still love me."

Marion scoffed. "That's not- I'm not coming back. I told you."

"And I don't believe you."

Marion grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. "What do I have to say to convince you?"

"Tell me you don't love me. With a straight face and eye contact. Tell me you don't miss what we had, you don't miss Hell. Tell me that you can't stand the thought of Celeste stepping foot in Hell so the idea of her ruling beside me is unbearable. Tell me-"

"Fine! Yes! All of that. I don't love you. I wanted to so badly, but I don't. I miss having someone but I don't miss Hell, I don't miss you and I don't want you anywhere  _near_ our daughter. If it came down to you or my family, I would toss you under the bus so fast you'd get whiplash. We're done. It's over. Let it go." 

There was a moment of silence, then Crowley began walking again. "All right."

She followed, not too closely, reeling from the nonchalant answer. "All right?"

"You said what I asked, and more. Looked me in the eye. You obviously believe what you say. So, 'all right'." Crowley stopped pointing up at the Cage, hanging from chains in the upper atmosphere of Hell. "We're taking it to Limbo. I can't touch it. Divine mechanisms don't take well to demons."

"Okay. I'll fly up. You have a place in Limbo for it?" 

"Yeah. I'll meet you there." Crowley disappeared as Marion looked up at the Cage.

"You're gonna fuck us over, aren't you?" She whispered, flying into the thunderstorm above her to lay hands on the walls of the Cage. "Lucifer... If you ever actually loved God, loved His creation, you won't screw this up." She took a deep breath and began to push the Cage toward Limbo.

**********

"Where's Dean?" Marion asked as she appeared in the dungeon to grab Sam and Rowena.

"He's following up on an Amara sighting. She massacred a church." Sam answered. 

"Shouldn't we wait for him?" 

"No time. Besides, you'll be there, Bobbi." Rowena smiled, offering her wrists to Sam to unlock.

"It's 'Marion', why is that so hard for you? And I left a voicemail for Dean. He knows how to get to Hell. Whenever he's done at the church, he'll find us."

"I don't like it." Marion said, before grabbing onto Sam's shoulder and flying them all to the entrance of Hell. Crowley greeted them with a nod before walking away into the corridor heading for Limbo. The ever-present thunderstorm raged above them, adding to the palpable tension of the group. All except Rowena, who seemed not to have a care, except about the lightning.

"Flop sweat, Sonny? Dread of what's to come?"

"Can it. Your barbs may amuse your circle of hags, but you have no idea what you're tampering with; what Lucifer is capable of."

"Well, dear, if you can't stand the heat, get out of Hell." Rowena smiled at herself, then looked around at the high brick walls. "I must say, it's not as scenic as I'd expected."

"We are in the furthest reaches of Hell. Limbo, where I send unruly souls for time out." Crowley responded.

"This is where I meet with Lucifer?" Sam asked, nervously.

"What it lacks in ambience, it makes up for in security. This is the best place for it, Sammy." Marion answered.

They approached a table in front of a large cage. Hanging above it was the Cage holding Lucifer. Rowena set the book on the table and started to grab ingredients. "I'm surprised you have everything I needed. I wasn't expecting-"

"Get to work. If you need another set of hands, I'll be your sous chef. I've been working on... the Craft."

"Well, all right. A bit of blood would be nice." Marion produced her angel blade and went to cut her hand, but Rowena shook her head. "Someone who has been touched by the grace of Lucifer. Samuel, I'd think."

Marion brought the blade across her hand and dropped her blood into the empty bowl. "I've touched Lucifer's Grace. I've held it within me. How do you think a stupid fleshy Winchester ended up an archangel?"

Rowena gave a satisfied noise. "I assumed that you were like Castiel, a stray from Heaven that they took in and treat like a sibling. I mean, with the name confusion and all."

"You're the only one who's confused about her name." Sam piped up as Marion healed her hand and Rowena continued tossing items into the bowl. "It's Marion Winchester."

"MacLeod." Crowley disagreed, staring at the Cage.

"It _was_ Winchester-MacLeod. Now, it's just Winchester. Marion Louise Winchester. 'Bobbi' is the name I went by in college." 

"Well, seems I'm not the only one confused." Rowena quipped with a smirk as she walked over to the cage and began to paint symbols on the base.

They watched in silence as she did her work, Sam getting more anxious with every passing minute. "Makes your flesh crawl, doesn't it, Moose?" Crowley broke the silence. "I get it. I'm the King of this place; it's still not my cup of tea."

"I don't know, Crowley." Sam looked around. "I'd say it suits you. Dark. Empty."

"Fascinating. The utter contempt, when I'm in the midst of saving the Winchesters' bacon.  _Again._ "

"The point of this is to save  _everyone's_ bacon, including yours. Let's just hope she knows what she's doing. This cell won't hold crap if the warding's not right."

Rowena stood, walking back to the table. "Oh, don't worry about me, Samuel. I'm a professional." She set the bowl on the table as Marion moved forward to examine the warding. 

"Are you certain you can do this without actually opening the Cage?" Crowley asked.

"We are about to find out, aren't we? Foro dega la moray." Rowena raised her arms and the spellwork on the cage began to glow. "Mah ho Tah!" Marion jumped back from the cage as a square of Holy Fire sprang to life around the cage. "Now, let's have a go at that Cage. Foh Reh Say-lah!"

Crowley looked up at the Cage, hanging in the clouds above. "It begins." 

The lightning crashing in the atmosphere intensified and the flame shot up higher. Sam looked terrified as he moved away from cage and into the shadow. Marion took a deep breath as the outline of a man appeared in the cage, eyes glowing red. The fire died down a bit as Lucifer took several purposeful steps forward before leaning against the bars. He took a deep breath and sighed. "My old friend, Crowley."

"A mere acolyte, carrying your torch." Crowley's shamelessness made Marion roll her eyes. Like Lucifer didn't know Crowley was a traitor, or an opportunistic ass.

Lucifer chuckled. "You're too kind... to yourself." He finished, before turning his gaze to Marion. "Marion! Wow, that baby weight just  _melted_ off you. What's your secret? Pilates? Yoga? Angelic calisthenics? I notice you're standing  _away_ from Crowley. Trouble in Purgatory?"

Marion glared at him, rattling off several deliberate sentences in Enochian. Lucifer gave an exaggerated shiver. "Ooh, it gets me so hot when you speak the Father-tongue."

She scoffed. "Mind your business, Morningstar."

Lucifer leaned closer to the bars. "But you _are_ mine. You were mine before Crowley ever had his first wet dream about you." His eyes focused back onto Crowley. "I marked her soul, you couldn't even keep a ring on her finger."

"We're not here to discuss  _my_ relationships." Marion mumbled.

"What _do_ you want of me?" Lucifer asked. Sam moved slowly from the shadows, fear stilting his movements. "Sam Winchester. My old roomie. Hug it out?" Lucifer whispered, putting his arms through the bars. Marion put a supportive hand on Sam's shoulder before pushing Rowena and Crowley toward a structure in the background.

Rowena leaned on her palm, watching the exchange from above. She was ogling the Fallen. "He's so _Alpha,_ isn't he? Probably not relationship material, though."

"Only when he wants something from you, and only until he's gotten what he wants." Marion leaned against the wall, trying to hear the conversation.

"So, you and Lucifer, then?" Rowena asked, a tinge of jealousy in her voice. 

Marion turned to the witch. "Only because he wanted me to do something for him. As soon as I'd done it, it was over."

"Yeah, he obviously doesn't care. He only invaded your dreams to put doubts in your head about our marriage and felt the need to call you 'his'." Crowley mumbled.

"How could you possibly go to  _Fergus_ after bein' with  _that_?" Rowena asked, going back to ogling the archangel.

"Mother, you're drooling. Get a hold of yourself."

"Oh, but  _look_ at him." Rowena said, before turning to Crowley. "And then, look at _him._  Going from such an alpha male to one who shows his hind quarters to anyone stronger than him-"

  
_"_ Well, it wasn't a direct one to one, you know? I made a detour into Amazon territory first." 

"Oh? You went from Lucifer to a bit of the Sapphic, huh? She went from a woman to you, Fergus. A woman to a coward. I guess that makes sense."

"Shut up, Rowena." Marion growled as Crowley muttered, "Do shut up, Mother."

"Can you hear what they're saying?" Crowley asked.

"I could if you'd just shut it!" Rowena answered.

"Lucifer is milking it, the fact that God sent Sam to him. That you guys let the Darkness out." Marion answered.

"You can hear all that?" Crowley asked.

"Celestial being." She shrugged. "He says he helped God seal up the Darkness, she's quite a force. Determined to take over everything, prone to tantrums."

"A lot of blabber going on. Surely Sam knows better than to cut some sort of a deal."

"You know, Fergus, sometimes striking a deal, even a painful one, may be the only option."

"Like the hit you took out on me, for instance?"

"It's not easy being a parent; knowing when to hug your child, when to kill him." 

"You know nothing of being a parent. Either of you. Shut up." Marion growled, leaning forward more. "Oh. I fucking knew it." She groaned a few minutes later.

"What? What did he say?" Rowena asked.

"He wants a vessel. It's always about a fucking vessel." She started to stomp back down to the cage but Rowena grabbed her arm.

"Have you no faith in dear Samuel? At least give him a chance to be strong."

Marion allowed herself to be pulled back to their perch. "Did you really expect me to agree to this?" Sam asked, indignantly. Marion breathed a sigh of relief as Lucifer nodded, happily. "So, what, I just disappear while you take my body and get set loose on the world again?"

"I know. I know, Sam. It's a lot to ask. But desperate times require desperate measures." Lucifer nodded and smirked at him.

"That's not desperate! That's certifiable!" Sam yelled.

Lucifer pointed at Sam. "Okay, hold on there a second, cowboy. Take a breath." He put his face against the bars. "You have been working with  _Crowley._  Let's not talk about what Marion did with him. You guys passed certifiable three off-ramps ago." Lucifer began to pace. "And look, I'm no fan of the ruler of the universe, but here I am. Ready to pitch in. Sam, why do you think God sent you to me? To get my help, which I only now just offered."

He grabbed onto the bars again. "Sam, your visions were the Word of God. You can't say 'no' to that." 

A feeling of nausea rolled over Marion and she gripped the ledge tightly. "What's wrong?" Crowley put a hand on her back, but she pulled away from it.

"Something bad just went down, topside. I think the angels just moved against Amara, Gomorrah-style. A smiting the likes of which we've never seen."

"You need to go?" Rowena asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.

"No, I can't risk Sam-"

"So, have you thought about it, Sam? Do I have an invitation to look forward to?" 

Sam looked behind him at the place where the trio were watching from, then shook his head. "No. I won't do it. There has to be a better way."

Marion smiled, before turning around. " _Now,_ I can go see if the angels did the right thing. Tell Sam where I went." She said, before disappearing. She appeared on a stretch of road, and began walking, unsure of the distance to the smiting area. Ahead of her, two familiar cars were pulled off to the shoulder. She flew to them. Dean was propped up against the Impala and the smell of vomit hung heavily in the air.

"How far are we from the event?" Castiel asked, squatting next to Dean.

"You mean the angel nuke?"

"No, the  _other_ Earth-shattering event." Marion stepped forward, kneeling in front of her brother.

Dean ignored the sarcasm, too sick to deal with it. "Ground Zero is about a mile down that way."

"Okay. That explains it. You're suffering from smiting sickness."

Dean scoffed. "That... that's a thing?"

"Yeah. The angels, what they did, it released a tremendous amount of energy and there's fallout. So, this whole area is poisoned."

"You guys can heal me, right?"

"No, we can't, and the closer you get to the blast site, the worse your sickness will become."  

"How worse?" Dean asked, worriedly.

"The last time there was a smiting of this magnitude..." Castiel began.

"Lot's wife turned to salt." 

Dean looked down the road. "Awesome."

"All right. Dean, you need to go back." Cas helped him to his feet.

"Uh, no. No. No, we gotta... We gotta go see if it worked... see if Amara is alive or dead."

" _You_ don't. The fallout doesn't affect angels. We'll go in alone." 

Dean started to argue, but shook his head as bile rose up in his throat again. "Okay. Yeah, it's probably better that way. I'll take a drive and go check on Sam."

"Right. Good." Castiel started walking toward his car.

"Hey, Cas?" Cas stopped and turned back to Dean. "If it did work and she is dead, bring her body out."

"And if she's not?" 

Dean looked down, then back to the angels. "Run."

Marion got into the passenger side of Cas' car and looked at him. "You know, I could fly us in. Might be better than the ol' pimp mobile."

"We'll take the car. I don't want to leave it on the side of the road." Castiel looked around the car, nervously.

"Okay. I get the car-love. Let's go."


	30. The Expendables

The angels stood over the smoldering hole that was literal Ground Zero. There were several fires still burning, but no trace of the angels or Amara. A rustling sound in the trees behind them caught their attention, so they turned, pulling their angel blades. An angel in a young, bespectacled Asian woman gasped putting her hands up.

"Who are you?" Castiel demanded.

"Ambriel. I work in birth/death statistics... in Heaven. I'm an... I'm an angel."

"Yeah, we know."

"And you're Marion and Castiel. I've... heard stories about you."

"Why are you here?" Marion asked as Castiel looked around.

"Same reason you are."

"Heaven wants to know if the Darkness has been destroyed." Cas answered.

"Uh, pretty much."

"And they sent _you_?" Cas asked, stepping toward her and gesturing at her with his blade.

"Are you going to kill me?" Ambriel asked.

"Is that what they say? That I kill angels?" He gestured with his blade again.

"Well, that's the _nicest_ thing they say. Well, maybe we can work together... so no one murders anyone." Ambriel said, a nervous edge to her words.

"Right." Cas sighed, looking at Marion who shrugged. "Fine." They put their blades away which seemed to ease the nerd angel.

"Okay. So, I've searched the East end of the forest. Nothing weird."

"Really?" Marion scoffed.

"You know it is the middle of the afternoon." Castiel continued.

"So?"

"So, why is it dark?"

Ambriel looked around. "Excellent question."

Cas and Marion rolled their eyes at the clueless angel. "Let's go. Keep your voices down."

"I never wanted this, you know. To be hated by my own kind, I never..."

"Oh, no, I don't hate you, Castiel." Ambriel covered.

"Thank you. " Cas said, looking to Marion to respond, too.

"Don't look at me, Cas. I'm not _really_ your own kind, am I?"

"I mean, we have a lot in common. Our names rhyme, that's a big one. I look good in a trench coat too, and we're both expendable." Ambriel rambled.

"Excuse me?" Cas stopped them.

"Well, that's why we're all here, right? I'm a number cruncher, _she's_ the sister the Winchesters were completely fine without for pretty much her whole life and you... like I said, I've heard the stories. You help, but Sam and Dean Winchester are the real heroes. So, if the Darkness is still alive and she's pissed... and she kills us... no big loss. So sure, maybe we're not super important, but we do the job. You know? I think there's nobility in that." The angel turned away. "Coming?"

"I'll catch up."

" _We'll_ catch up." Marion waved at Ambriel, who shrugged and kept pushing into the trees. She stepped in front of him and shook her head. "Why are we here, Cas?"

"We're here-"

"Because Dean couldn't even make it within a mile of the place. He wanted to come, but he couldn't. Not because he was afraid of Amara killing him, but because smiting sickness definitely would've." She forced him to look at her. "Am _I_ expendable?"

"Of course not."

"Just because some paper-pusher from Heaven says you're expendable... Cas, come on. If I'm not expendable, then you aren't."

"You don't... You don't even _like_ me, Marion. You haven't spoken to me since we discussed your nightmares."

"I like you, Cas, but you're a sore subject. You're a weak spot. You're a deep well that I could drown in... and I'd rather not drown." A scream pulled them away from their conversation and they took off running toward the sound.

"Ambriel!" Cas shouted. Marion held back slightly as they approached the angel and Amara, who was sucking the grace from Ambriel's vessel.

Amara dropped the body to the ground and looked toward the sky as the darkness that had blanketed the forest retreated back into her. She looked happy and recharged as she turned around, her eyes falling on Castiel. "Castiel."

He stepped forward. "Amara. What did you do to her?"

"I consumed her." Marion watched from the trees as Amara walked toward Cas. "Her grace, her spark, her memories, everything. She... oh, she really hit the spot." Castiel dropped his blade from his coat sleeve, drawing a look of amusement from the Darkness. "Seriously? I mean, Heaven brought the thunder and it barely even scratched my paint job, but you and a shiny knife? Sure, that's gonna work."

"You think I'm afraid to die?"

"I know you are." Amara continued moving forth. "You reek of fear and self-loathing." She grabbed Castiel's wrist as he attempted to stab her. "Ooh. Scary." She put her hand up, flinging him into a tree. "She's right, you know. You are expendable and weak, and why God took a special interest in you I'll never understand. My brother always did have horrible taste in men." She kneeled down in front of him.

"Just do it." Castiel groaned up at her.

Amara brushed her hand across his cheek. "Blue eyes, you're not even worth the effort... and no offence, but you look a bit used up. Plus... I have a job for you." She placed her hand on his chest and he screamed as a blinding light filled the clearing and Cas disappeared. She stood, looking pleased with herself before staggering a bit, gasping as she leaned against the trunk of a tree, looking drained.

"God took an interest in him because he's amazing." Marion stepped out from behind the tree, holding her hands up in a non-threatening manner. "He knows loyalty, like even God doesn't know."

"Marion." Amara stood, still looking exhausted. "Dean's sister."

"Yeah. That's pretty much what I'm known for. That, and being the only one who's seen God in several thousand years."

" _You've_ seen God? Where is he?" Amara demanded.

"I haven't seen Him in a while, so I don't know exactly where He is _now_. Probably hiding from you. I know He's God and I'm supposed to... worship, but the fact that I haven't seen Him..."

"It angers you?" Amara looked a little smitten with the idea of someone else being upset with God.

"Yeah. I guess it does." Marion bit her lip as she dropped her hands to her sides. "I mean, we need Him, more than the universe ever has before, and where is He? _Hiding_ from his sister, sending cryptic visions to my _brother_ instead of just... talking to me? I haven't done anything wrong. I refuse to believe that He has abandoned me because of whom I married."

"Better to be abandoned than locked away for eternity. And _still_ he doesn't talk to me."

Marion scoffed and shook her head. "I love Him, you know. God. I love Him, but... He does know how to make a woman feel completely worthless."

"You may be the first his creations that might actually understand me."

"I don't, honestly. I mean, I understand the feeling of betrayal. I understand just wanting a damn explanation, but... I don't understand eating the souls of the innocent. I don't understand throwing a fit about it."

"I have to eat something." Amara stepped to her. "Why would my brother abandon you for who you married?"

"I married Crowley. You've met the man, do you think your brother would approve?"

"Crowley is weak, too. Why would you marry _him_?"

"Look into what Ambriel knew of me."

"Not much, actually. 'First new angel', what does that mean?"

"It means I was weak and let a couple angels fuck me over for their benefit, to no benefit of my own. I'm the first human to make the jump, to be filled to my brim with grace and primordial stuff, and become an archangel."

"An archangel? I thought something about you felt familiar. I thought, perhaps, you reminded me of Dean, but you remind me of Lucifer, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael."

"I hope I remind you of both."

"So... are you going to pull a little blade and try to-" Amara asked.

"No." Marion interrupted. "I'm not dumb. I mean... there is some evidence to the contrary, but... I just came to see if those idiots in Heaven actually made any headway against you. Now, if you will allow me, I'd like to just leave."

"You've seen that I'm tired. I _could_ stop you, but... it wouldn't be worth the expended energy. Do let me know if you hear from my brother."

"Probably won't." Marion said, before disappearing in a woosh, flying to Cas' car and starting it up. She put pedal to the metal on her way to Kenesaw, Nebraska.

*************************

Marion pulled Cas' car into the parking lot outside the entrance to Hell and turned it off, flying into the back of the Impala as Dean started to pull away. "What'd I miss?" She asked.

"Where the hell have you been?" Dean asked, putting the car in park and turning around to look at her.

"I was having a conversation with your buddy, Amara. You guys look horrible. What happened?"

"Why don't you look horrible? Cas came out of the woods with a porn tagline burned into his chest. You look like you don't have a scratch." Dean demanded.

"She didn't touch me. We, actually, commiserated over the fact that God won't talk to either of us. How many times do I have to ask what happened down there?"

Sam looked down. "It was a ruse, all of it. God didn't send me those visions, Lucifer did."

"What?" Marion felt a little vindicated that Chuck hadn't been bypassing her, but fearful about what Lucifer had done.

"Lucifer sent me all of the visions. He was working with Rowena to get me into the Cage so that he could convince me to be his vessel. Said he knew how to beat the Darkness. When I told him 'no', he decided to beat me into submission."

"Then, Cas and I went in to distract him long enough for Crowley to use a Witch-catcher to force Rowena to reverse her spell and put Lucifer back in the big cage. All-in-all, we're in _exactly_ the same spot we were in before."

"Great. Here I was, thinking this might actually be helpful. Fuck. All right, you guys. I'm gonna go check on Cas." Marion appeared in the building next to Billie, slamming her hand on the ward to open the door into Hell. Marion walked back into the room as Lucifer, wearing Jimmy Novak, stood speaking to Crowley.

"Hey, there's the queen."

"Lucifer. Why would... Oh, he's such an idiot!"

"Hey, he can hear you, ya know. Besides, is that any way to speak to a friend and ex-lover?"

"Are you talking about the evil bastard who used and manipulated me or the idiot who let him out of prison?" She stepped in between him and Crowley, looking down at Rowena's body on the ground. "Either way, I'll talk to you how I want."

"Ooh, you've gotten so feisty since you got your wings. See, this is what your brothers are missing. Bold, decisive, powerful. Why haven't _you_ taken down the Darkness?"

Marion looked behind her at the demon. Actually fighting Amara was the last thing she would consider doing. "I don't know how. I might be an arch, but I don't have control of myself like you do. She just shrugged off a smiting that would have killed off pretty much anything else. I'm not stepping to her without a plan."

"That's okay. I got one. You and me, babe. Let's save the universe." Lucifer smirked down at her.

"So that you can take it back? Why would I work with you? You are the same as you've always been. Invading dreams, manipulating people, showing absolutely no due respect for people's loyalty." She pointed to the dead ginger on the floor. "Everyone around you is just a tool for you to use and toss away when you're done. Why would I ever work with you again?"

"Because you might've distanced yourself from him, but you don't want your old boy toy to be next, do you? I mean, this is your King, right?! The father of your little abomination baby. I could distance you from him all the way. You know how easily I could just..." Lucifer raised his hand like he was about to snap his fingers, but Marion grabbed his wrist. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk firmly in place on Castiel's face.

"Don't." She said softly. She stole a glance at Crowley and her heart lurched to see fear there. "I'll help you. Don't kill him. He... he can still be useful to you. He's resourceful and he knows everything... plea-please just... please don't kill him."

Lucifer brought his hand down to her cheek and patted her face softly. "Of course. Anything for you, Mare-bear. Come on. Let's go for a walk."

"Can I say 'goodbye' first?"

Lucifer rolled Cas' beautiful blue eyes. "Yeah, okay. I'll be right outside. Don't make me have to come looking for you." He said before disappearing.

Marion rushed to Crowley, who stood. She wrapped her arms around his chest. "It'll be okay, Fergus. I promise." She mumbled.

"You can't go with him, Pony. He'll kill you. He's killed other archangels before, older ones who knew..."

Marion pulled back, wiping at her eyes to keep the tears there from dropping. She shook her head. "No, he won't. He likes me, Crowley, so unless I fuck him over, he'll keep me around."

"So, what, you're just gonna follow him around like my mother? Look what he did to her."

"When have you ever known me to just follow blindly? No, it won't be like that. He won't expect it to be that. He'll expect reluctant snark."

"Hey. You do _whatever_ you have to do to stay alive. _Anything_ he wants you to do."

Marion nodded. "Of course, it was too much to ask that I be done using my body to buy my safety. I have to go, but... I love you, Crowley. This'll all be okay."

"I knew you didn't really mean it." He kissed her forehead as a group of demons walked in, weapons in hand. "Go on."

She appeared outside the building and Lucifer put his arm around her shoulder. "Luci and Mare-bear, together again."

She nodded, uncomfortably allowing his arm to stay. "So, how are we going to take down the Darkness?" She asked.

"Right to business, huh? Come on! I've been in prison since Castiel was God. Do you know how long that is in Hell? I want to have a beer and, uh, maybe a movie. The entertainment in the Cage is, well, lacking to say the least. Come on, she's not going anywhere."

************

Marion couldn't remember ever going to a movie theater, though those memories might have been deleted by Naomi. It was awkward to sit in a dark room with the Devil, pretending to give a damn about some pretty blond looking for her sister in the middle of the woods in Japan. She sighed and tried to focus on the screen as Lucifer offered her popcorn.

"I don't eat." She whispered. "And neither do you. I don't know why you made me buy you..."

"Because it wouldn't be a real date without popcorn."

She kept her eyes focused in front of her. "Is this a date, Luci?"

"Of course, it is. Think I care about this movie? No, I just had to keep you away from the demon." He said, popping several kernels of corn into his mouth.

Marion turned her head to look at him. "'The demon' is my husband, my king." It was true, no matter how she'd tried to convince herself otherwise. Her king, stuck in his own Hell, while she had a date with his oppressor.

"You're a queen, all right, but not for Hell. Not for him! Open your eyes. You're an angel. You are an archangel. One of the last, sweetheart. So, when we get done putting down Aunt Amara and I ascend to my rightful throne, you can sit next to me. The queen where you belong."

"Lucifer... we... do you really think it'll be that easy? That you can put on the face of my first love, you can separate me from my husband, take me to a movie, buy me a beer and suddenly I'll bow to your will, be _your_ queen?"

Lucifer popped a couple more kernels of popcorn into his mouth. "No. I think you're gonna bow to my will and be my queen because that's the only way that you can be sure I don't kill Crowley _and_ Celeste." Marion's eyes snapped wide at the mention of Celeste. Lucifer laughed. "Come on, you don't think I already found her? I tracked those witches down while I was still in the Cage. Weird dreams, those two."

Marion turned her attention back to the movie. "Remember, Mare-bear. I like you. It's half the reason I marked you. I won't do anything to hurt you if you obey me."

"Obey you." She whispered. "I am not very good with the whole... obedience thing."

"Oh, don't worry about it, babe. I'm a damn good Dom. We'll work on you." Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her denim jacket. "You should check that. Might be important."

Marion pulled the phone out and fear gripped her as ' **1 New Message: Lily** ' shined up at her. She unlocked it and opened the message. _'_ **There are 2 demons here. Say they are here to guard us. Is this okay or danger?** '

"You should let her know that they can stay. If she resists, they kill everyone in that house."

Her hands shook as she typed her response. ' **Bad things happening. For your protection. Just ignore them.** ' "When did you-"

"You took your time saying your last goodbyes. It was more than enough for me to break a few loyalists out of the dungeon and send them to Indiana. Eat some popcorn." Lucifer said, offering her the bucket again.

"Okay." She whispered, pulling some of the popcorn into her hand.

"Try 'Yes, sir'." He demanded, pulling the bucket back and grabbing a handful.

"Yes, sir." She whispered.

"Good girl." Lucifer said, patting her knee.


	31. My King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went a little more raunchy with this chapter than I have been in this fic, but it's still definitely Mature, not Explicit. There's some definite non-con here, so... be warned. Also, went a little off canon here, but it won't affect the show storyline at all really.

Marion sat on her throne, Lucifer in Crowley's. She kept stealing glances at Crowley, her cut-down husband. Lucifer had made him put on a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, he had a dog collar on him after torturing him. Anything to break him down, hurt his ego. She wanted to help, but she couldn't. She couldn't even speak to him or Lucifer would hurt them both. Maybe, Celeste. Crowley begged her with his eyes, for what she didn't know. Lucifer turned in his throne and looked at her. "Marion! My queen. Shall we retire to our chamber?" Crowley's eyes shot to her face. 

Marion swallowed and took a measured breath, before standing. "Yes, my King." Lucifer smirked at Crowley, before wrapping his arm around Marion and leading her toward the bedchamber. She sat on the bed and looked up at the First Fallen. She tried to not show fear, but the uncertainty of the situation was weighing on her. 

"Don't look so frightened, Mare. I'm not gonna hurt you... unless you give me a good reason." He pulled Castiel's trench coat and suit jacket down his arms and draped them over the post at the end of the bed, before turning around to examine the room. "So, this is the room you laid in with Puppy, huh? Kinda drab, eh?"

"Lucifer." He raised an eyebrow. "My King." She corrected. "Since when do you care about style or appearances?"

"I just figured _you_ would care more than to sleep in this... dark, dank..."

"It's Hell, what do you expect?" She snapped. She instantly regretted it as the back of Jimmy Novak's left hand sliced across her mouth. "I'm sorry, My King." She said, stiffly. "I shouldn't have forgotten myself."

"Awww. You're gonna get it eventually, Mare-bear. We just have to wear down some more of those Dean Winchester memories. You never used to be so willful. Back when you were with Mister and Missus you were such a little wallflower." He began pulling the buttons of his white shirt open and she looked at her lap. "No, Mary. You watch." He pulled the shirt off and threw it on the floor. Her eyes popped up, instinctively defiant as she held his gaze. "This is gonna be so awkward for you, Mare, because I bet little brother Castiel was gentle and soft with you, right? Like he was afraid to hurt you?"

He unfastened and dropped the suit pants to the ground, standing proudly nude in front of her. "Shouldn't hold it against him much, 'cause you were human the last time _this_ body touched _your_ body. So damn fragile. He didn't really have much of a choice except to be delicate with you, but I know how you like it, Marion. I remember what you like." She held her defiant gaze, but didn't speak. "And I know what you're thinking: 'That all happened in the place between my dreams and the Cage, Luci. You've never physically fucked me' and you are right! But I know you like it _hard_. You like nails and teeth and bruises on your thighs and hips; and unless I'm lying to myself I have some memories of hair-pulling." 

She let an angry breath flow through her nostrils and closed her eyes as Lucifer pushed her backwards to lie on the bed. "But I think, before we get to the really fun stuff..." He reached inside her jacket and pulled out her angel blade. "How about some foreplay?" She swallowed thickly and opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling. This was going to hurt. "Let's see how much I can cut before you cry out. Don't move, don't cry, don't make a sound and I'll take you to see your daughter. If you _do_  move, cry, blah blah blah, I call for the puppy and he gets to see you moaning like a whore for me. You like those terms? Don't say anything if the answer's 'yes'."

She bit her tongue to keep herself from calling him a bastard. She wanted to see Celeste, but she knew that Lucifer wouldn't allow that. He'd keep cutting with her blade until she screamed and then, he'd bring in her husband to witness her involuntarily cuckolding him. The question was: how easy was she going to make it? She could handle the pain, just like Crowley could handle the humiliation and the rage he'd face watching her being taken by the archangel who stole his throne, but if she cried, Lucifer would think she wanted him or that she was weak and neither of those things was true. 

Lucifer cut her camisole top from her neck to her stomach and opened the cloth up to expose her bra and stomach. He brought the blade between her breasts and cut her bra off. He crisscrossed her exposed skin, drawing designs on her in her blood. She could tell he was enjoying it, his vessel reacting just the way a sexual sadist's would. When he ran out of uncut area on her skin, he tore her jeans and underwear down her legs and continued his blood art down her thighs.

Neither spoke, Marion keeping herself quiet and Lucifer making happy little noises as he dragged the angel blade along her skin. When he finished with her thighs, he sighed, loudly. "Sit up, take off the shirts, flip over. I wanna see that perfect ass." He ordered. She complied without a sound. He brought the blade down her back in a swirling design and when he came to the small of her back, picked the blade up from her skin and stabbed it into the meat of her right ass cheek. She screamed. There was no helping it. Lucifer smirked triumphantly and slid off the bed, angel blade still sticking out of her. He opened the bedroom door and spoke quietly to the guards on the door. "Go grab Crowley and bring him in here."

As Lucifer let Crowley into the room, the demon tried not to look at her. Covered in blood, face-down on the bed, he didn't want to see her like that. Lucifer grabbed the chain attached to Crowley's collar and dragged him to the footboard of the bed, attaching the chain there, before pulling the angel blade out of her ass. Blood bubbled up and spilled onto the bed. "You are gonna sit there like a good dog and watch. If I look at you and I see your eyes anywhere other than me and my queen, I'll kill you both." Lucifer warned as he got back on the bed. He jerked her effortlessly onto her hands and knees and entered her. His right hand wrapped easily around her throat, working in conjunction with the left hand on her hip to pull her back with every forward thrust of his hips.

She wanted to look at Crowley. She wanted to know that he was okay and let him know that she was okay, but when she made a small motion to look toward the foot of the bed, Lucifer's fingers tightened around her throat. The hand on her throat released and slid into her hair, grabbing a handful and yanking it backward. Marion moaned, loudly, and instantly regretted it. She'd absolutely lost, now; Lucifer had made her moan in pleasure. She could almost _hear_  his smirk as he stopped the motion of his hips and twisted her hair tighter in his fist and pulled her head back so that he could easily lean next to her ear, his lips brushing along the cartilage. "I thought I remembered hair-pulling making you wet as fuck. What _would_  your brothers say?"

As he began moving within her again, keeping her upper body raised up from the mattress by pulling her hair, he dug the fingertips and short fingernails of his other hand into her hip. She couldn't hold back her moans, anymore, that first one unlocking the floodgates. She could imagine Crowley's face, and she wished that was enough to silence her, but it wasn't. "Mare..." Lucifer was barely breathless, but she knew by the tone and the way he was moving that he was almost done. "You're gonna cum screaming my name. You cum, then I'll cum and then you can have a break. You ready?"

"No." It slipped out. She hadn't meant to dissent. 

"Marion!" Lucifer growled, yanking on her hair harder than he had been. 

"Yes!" She moaned, closing her eyes in pleasure.

"Yes, what?" He demanded, picking up his pace.

"Yes, My King!"

"My name, you stupid whore!" He dropped her hair and dragged his fingernails across the cuts on her back.

"Yes, Lucifer! Lucifer, yes. Fuck! Yes! Lucifer!" She screamed as she fell over the other side of her orgasm and Lucifer followed soon after, making sure to pull out before he was completely finished and shoot the last bit of his cum on the cuts on her back. He sighed happily as he surveyed the scene in front of him, then snapped his fingers, his clothes suddenly back on his body.

"Now, here's a rag, Puppy." Lucifer knelt down next to Crowley and tossed a white rag at his feet. "You're gonna clean up my Queen. Her skin is not yours to touch. Every time your skin touches her skin, I'm gonna stab her. So if you try to comfort her, know that you're just gonna put her in more pain." 

Crowley stood, picking up the rag as he went. He ground his teeth together before wiping tentatively at her back. "Faster, Puppy. My queen and I need to get back to our throne room." Crowley flinched, then picked up his speed, still very careful not to touch her. Blood and cum stained the rag when he finally pulled it away from her back. He didn't meet Lucifer's eyes as he stepped back from the bed. Lucifer looked over his queen and sighed. "I guess that's good enough. Mare, get your clothes on. I want those cuts to stay, though. Your skin is my canvas, now. You don't heal yourself unless I tell you to, understand?"

"Yes, My King." She muttered, getting up and grabbing her clothes. They were suddenly in one piece again and she made sure not to make a sound of discomfort as her bra snagged on one of the cuts. She didn't look at Crowley. She was ashamed, even knowing that he had told her to do whatever Lucifer wanted her to do. Anything to stay alive. 

Lucifer grabbed her, shoving his tongue in her mouth. "My Queen. Hmm. I think... I'd like to be called 'My Love'. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, sir. Anything for you, my Love." She answered. Crowley could hear her hesitation, but she powered through it. 

***********************************

Marion sat on her throne, patiently waiting for Lucifer to return. He'd told her not to move and she'd made sure not to move a single non-essential muscle while she waited. The guards standing all around her would mention that in their reports. He appeared in front of her and smiled down at her. "You have been doing such a good job over the past week, Mare, that I got you a present." He produced a necklace from his pocket. It was silver and gold with an Enochian sigil that she didn't recognize. "I think you have earned this present. This is a very special necklace, Marion. This necklace represents freedom." Her eyes flew up from the necklace to Castiel's ocean blues. "Not 'free' freedom, but... with this necklace..." He slipped it over her head, where it flashed red. "...I can hear every word you say, track every place you go. That means you don't have to have guards on you every minute that I'm not with you, my Queen."

She immediately thought of flying away and ripping the necklace off of her. "And just in case you're considering disappearing and ditching the gift, go ahead and try to take it off." Marion swallowed, grasping the chain on either side of her neck and slowly lifting it. As soon as the pendant lifted past her chin, a shock went through her entire body. She dropped the necklace to her chest and clenched all of her muscles in pain. Lucifer chuckled as he reached over and yanked on the necklace. It held steadfast around her neck. "It's not going anywhere, Marion. So, get used to it."

She couldn't help the glare as she clenched her jaw. "Thank you, my Love."

"Well, you know what this means? Now, we can go to the bunker, look through your brothers' information for a bit of lore on the Darkness. I'll have to play the part of dear, boring Castiel and you'll, of course, have to keep your damn mouth shut about it."

"So... I might get to see my brothers?" Marion asked, hopefully.

"Yeah, maybe. But remember: if you say anything to either of them, my demons will kill Celeste and her little white witch mommies and it'll be all your fault." He said, his voice upbeat and excited at the idea.

"Of course not. I... I just... want to see my... my brothers. Not to tell anything, my love, but-"

"Still so human, wishing for familial companionship. Come on. Let's go." Lucifer grabbed her shoulder and they arrived in the map room of the bunker. He cleared his throat and looked around. "Dean?! Sam?! Are you here?" He shouted, his voice matching Castiel's gravel tone. No response came, so he pointed at Marion, who sighed.

"Dean! Are you guys home?! Are you on a case?"

Another bout of silence met them. Lucifer smirked. "Great! We've got the house to ourselves. Which way to the spells and shit?" Marion didn't respond, simply walking away down a hallway. 

***********************************

The room was a mess of papers and open drawers just a few hours later. Lucifer had started to get frustrated, divesting himself of Castiel's coat and jacket and loosened his tie. Marion wasn't sure what Lucifer was looking for, but she was there to do whatever he wanted, standing off to the side as he rampaged through the records. She was looking for a way to leave breadcrumbs for her brothers, but she hadn't figured out a way to before the half-closed door was kicked in and Dean entered, his gun raised. "Hey!" Marion smiled as Lucifer gave an exasperated look. She brought down the brightness of her grin as the older archangel put on his Castiel 'mask'. "Cas? What the hell are you doing, man?"

"Hello, Dean." 

"Right, yeah." Dean put his gun in his waistband and shook his head. "We don't hear from you for days; you show up, start wrecking the joint." 

Lucifer sighed as he stood from his spot on the floor. "I'm sorry." He rolled his eyes, since Dean couldn't see his face, yet.

"Okay. W-what are you guys doing?" 

Lucifer turned, holding papers in both hands and looking quite lost. "Well, we're... looking for a spell, something to draw Amara out, but there's... There's nothing." Dean pushed two drawers back into a file cabinet, shaking his head. "I had her in my sights. She was hurt. I should have ended it." Lucifer continued his Castiel-based monologue.

Dean stepped forward. "Wait. What? How?" 

"Well, I don't know. But there has to be something." Lucifer set the papers down. "And how many more chances are we gonna get?"

Dean swallowed, nodding. "Yeah, I know. Saying you're gonna kill is one thing, but... actually doing it's something totally different."

"What do you mean?" Marion asked, quietly. 

"I've had two shots at Amara. I struck out both times." Dean answered.

"What are you talking about?" Lucifer asked, his brows tucking together as he stepped up to Dean.

"I don't even know where to start, and I..." Dean looked pointedly at Marion. "...kinda don't want to talk about this in front of my sister."

Lucifer turned to her, rolling his eyes again. He reached out and pulled her close, kissing her deeply and grabbing a handful of her ass. "Why don't you go get some coffee for Dean?" It wasn't a suggestion, but he made it sound like it was. 

"Of course, Cas." She said, haltingly, pulling away from him and walking out of the room.

"Dean... Tell me everything." Lucifer's voice carried down the hallway as Marion tried to shake away the feeling of his hands on her. 

As she sat in the kitchen, watching the coffee brew, all she could think about was escape, but with the new piece of jewelry gracing her neck, she knew that was a pipe dream. Dean entered the kitchen and pulled out a mug, filling it with coffee and sitting at the table next to her. She took a deep breath, looking behind her to see if Lucifer was around. "So, uh... that was some pretty heavy PDA back there. You and Cas, again, huh? You're actually _done_ with Crowley, then?"

"You know I left him."

"So, you're completely done trying to do the immortal super-parent thing? Hell's Power Couple."

Marion swallowed and her eyes shot back to the kitchen door. She knew Lucifer could hear them, but he wasn't in eye line. "I realized that I only really wanted to be with Crowley to keep Celeste safe. I'm in love with Castiel, always have been. Even though he's kinda stupid and makes disastrous decisions that almost always end in some sort of apocalypse, and he doesn't seem like he's gonna stop doing that any time soon... I love him."

Dean eyebrows dropped. "Okay, I guess. Being with Cas is better than being Crowley's wife. How's Celeste?"

"She's good. Claire and Lily are taking good care of her."

"They still in Indiana?" Dean asked, taking a drink of his coffee.

Marion thanked God that her brother had asked. "Yep. They're thinking of moving out of the funky town to Poughkeepsie, though. Just gotta get Crowley to approve money for a new house, but he's not answering anybody."

Dean's jaw locked and he gave a small, almost imperceptible, nod. "So, when do I get to meet the cutie? Can you pop us over there?" His voice was conversational, like nothing had changed.

"Nah. Claire and Lily have guests right now. An angel popping in would be unwelcome."

Dean let out a small, but sharp exhalation. 'Demon?' He mouthed. When she gave her own imperceptible nod, he closed his eyes against the rage. "That's a pretty necklace. That new?" He asked, eyes opening.

"Yeah. New to me, anyway." Marion answered, pointing at the necklace, then tapping her ear to let him know that someone was listening. "Castiel gave it to me."

"What's that sigil mean?" Dean asked, pantomiming ripping the necklace off.

Marion shook her head. "I don't know. It must be pretty archaic if Naomi didn't think I'd need to know it when she taught me Enochian." She reached over and gave Dean a small shock on his hand, then she pantomimed being shocked by the necklace.

Dean nodded. "So, uh, you and Cas are really gonna give this another shot, huh? I mean, with the giving ancient angel artifacts as gifts and making out. It didn't end well last time, remember? You went crazy, sold yourself to Lucifer."

Marion's eyes went wide at the name. Dean pursed his lips and clenched his fist. "We're giving it a shot." She said before mouthing 'Cas... said... yes.'

"You gonna let me know if things go downhill this time?" He asked, before mouthing 'Has... he... hurt... you?'

'Doesn't... matter' She mouthed. "Probably not, Dean. Won't have to if I play my cards right. Really think we can make it happen this time." Dean shook his head, angrily. 'Save... Celeste." Marion finished as Dean's phone started to ring.

"Yeah, Sam?" Dean answered. "Uh, yeah. No, I'm gonna be there. I just had to have a conversation with- No, I've got it. Look, I'll see in a few hours, okay?" His phone beeped as he put it back in his pocket and he stood as Lucifer walked into the room. Dean cleared his throat. "Cas, I gotta get back to Sam. Listen, about what we talk about, let's just keep that between you and me... 'til we know more, okay."

"Dean, that's not-"

"Cas, just... trust me."

Lucifer sighed. "All right. But the next time you face Amara, you won't be alone."

"Thanks, Cas." Marion wanted to laugh at the idea of Dean using Castiel's name over and over again, but didn't. "See you, Mare." 

"Yeah." She whispered, hugging Dean close to her. "Stay safe, Dean."

"You, too, sweetheart." He said, patting her back. He pulled back and nodded, before heading out of the bunker.

Lucifer stepped up to her, a smirk affixed to his face. "You're never gonna believe what your twin bro's been hiding."

***********************************

"May I ask, sire? What is _she_  still doing here? She was Crowley's queen... and she's a Winchester." Simmons shot a look to Marion, who was sitting on her throne, fiddling with Lucifer's tablet computer.

"You know, that's a great question, Simmons. See, she was mine first. When I found her, she was just like the others. You know, human." He said, the word with disgust. "So, I took her under my wing. Michael and I marked her soul, which was exactly as sexy as it sounds, and she became an archangel. God, just to spite me I'm sure, then took this perfect new angel, the _first_  new angel, by the way, and sent her to get pregnant by a demon. After that, she fell prey to the basic desire to be loved. So, you see, Simmons, she's always been mine and she's here because I've decided to take her back. Look at her. She isn't even trying to look at the Puppy. I think I might have finally broken her."

"Congratulations, sir. I guess a good next question would be... how would you have your demons treat her? Crowley wanted us to treat her..."

Lucifer interrupted with a small, condescending smile. "She _is_  your queen, Simmons. You'll treat her as such."

"Not a thing has changed..." Marion stood, tossing the tablet on Lucifer's throne and walking down next to the demon. "Simmons. You treat me like your queen or I smite your sorry ass."

Lucifer smiled and pulled her into arms. "I love it when you act all hard with the kids." He said, smashing his lips down onto hers. He moaned into her mouth as he pulled her hips against his. As he pulled away, he slapped her on the ass. "Now, I've got to go run down a lead on Auntie Amara. Can I trust you to keep things running while I'm gone?"

"Of course, my King." Simmons said, with a smile.

"Of course, my love." Marion responded, her smile bright and obviously fake.

Lucifer winked and disappeared. Simmons turned to her. "Don't think, for a second, that I believe you're on our side."

"Oh. Dear, sweet, _stupid_  Simmons. Neither does he. But you know what? I'm here. I'm his Queen. I'm going to help him take down the Darkness, and then, I'm going to find out how to open that Cage and I'm gonna shove him back in, myself. And before you run off to tell Daddy that Stepmom is plotting his downfall..." Marion pulled her camisole down to show the necklace. "He heard everything, and would expect nothing less of me. It's part of why he likes me so much. You ever read Malory, Simmons?"

Simmons looked confused. "Malory who?"

"The only Malory that matters. Thomas Malory. English nobleman with too much time on his hands. Prison'll do that. He wrote 'Le Morte d'Arthur'. It's where we get most of our modern interpretations of the Arthur legend. He's the guy who came up with Lancelot." Marion turned and sat on her throne, legs over the armrest. "Anyway, I came in here as Crowley's queen, trying to be like Malory's Guinevere. See, she was just a displaced woman, who wanted her husband's people to love her. She wanted to be a real queen of the people, even though they weren't her people. I'm sadly going to have to look at my tenure as Lucifer's queen more like... the original Welsh version of Guin. Harsh, heartless, do anything to get what she wants. She didn't need Lancelot because she could handle herself. And I will."

Simmons looked uncomfortable at the sight of her nonchalantly kicking her feet. She nodded, then walked away as another demon walked up. "Ma'am? I've found her." Helen, her wonderful handmaiden, who definitely still had some loyalty to her. She was lucky to have had an opportunity to ask a favor of her before Lucifer started listening to every word she said.

Marion stood, smiled and put her finger to her mouth, before following the demon to an empty warehouse. She opened the door and walked in. She clenched a fist as soon as she walked into the large empty room, taking the redheaded witch's ability to speak. She pulled a small notepad and a pen from her jacket, scribbled on the paper and handed them to Rowena.

**_DO NOT SPEAK. LUCIFER CAN HEAR US_ **

_Lucifer! I did everything he asked!_  
**_I KNOW. HE DOES NOT REWARD LOYALTY. HOW DO I OPEN THE CAGE?_**  
Rowena tossed her best bitch face at Marion, before scribbling back. _You can't. Only a high level witch can open it._  
_**FINE. HOW DO I CHANGE OLIVETTE BACK INTO A HUMAN?**_  
_Not Olivette! Me!_  
Marion scoffed. _**MAYBE IF YOU WEREN'T A LYING MANIPULATIVE HAG.**_  
_Is that what you think of me? Is that what you're going to tell my grandchild of me?_  
_**IF THE RUBY SLIPPERS FIT, WITCH.**_  
_Heal me the rest of the way. I can open the Cage and send Lucifer back._  
Marion put her hand on the door handle as she handed the pad back to the witch. _**ENJOY HELL, ROWENA. IF I DON'T NEED YOU I'LL JUST SEND YOU TO THE SLABS.**_  
"Wait!" Rowena whispered, barely louder than a breath. Marion turned to her as she scribbled on the notepad. _Fatum tuum est hominum termino ad nulum. It has to be done by a real witch, though._

Marion smiled and nodded her thanks. _**I HAVE THAT COVERED, MOTHER. I'LL HAVE MY DEMON STAY HERE. SHE'LL BE AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR IF LUCIFER FINDS THIS PLACE.**_

 

She scratched out a note to Helen who nodded that she would stay there. Marion gave the handmaiden a hug and disappeared from the warehouse.


	32. Salvation

Marion sat at Lucifer's feet as he played Angry Birds on the iPad. He had his left leg crossed over his right, his foot resting on her shoulder. She watched as a half dozen demons stood awkwardly in a group before one stepped forward. "Ah, sir. Would you like to hear the latest soul numbers?"

Lucifer didn't look up from the screen. "No, because I don't care."

"How about an update on Amara?" The sounds from the tablet ceased as Lucifer stopped playing and looked up. "Well, the update is... well, that there is no update. We still haven't found-"

Simmons stepped forward, interrupting the first demon. "Sir, if I may- since you've claimed the throne, we could use some direction. _Any_ direction." Lucifer rolled his eyes as she continued. "We could deploy a force. Real boots on the ground, shake the trees to find her!" The sounds began again as she lost his interest to the pigs and birds. "W-with you leading the charge, of course. We have had a coward, and a fool, at the helm for too long." Marion fought the urge to look at Crowley as he groaned in his cage. "Perhaps it's time to-"

Lucifer held his finger to his lips as he looked toward the former King of Hell. "Doggy wants to speak." The guard on the outside of the cell pulled the door out of the way and Crowley rolled out on all fours. Lucifer and the demons in the room turned to look at him. Marion closed her eyes.

"How _dare_ you? The impudence. The lack of humility. It's no way to talk to your master; Lucifer."

Lucifer nodded, slightly. "That's a good doggy." He put his feet down and bent down to look at Marion. "So, what do you think should be our next move, Marion?"

"Don't you have artifacts and weapons scattered across the globe?" She cleared her throat and looked up at him. "If you so desired, my Love, you might want to send some demons, maybe the insubordinate _stain_ that is Simmons, to your crypts to gather your weaponry."

Lucifer smirked. "You're a genius. Simmons, you heard your queen. My crypts, my weapons, chop chop." He stood as the demons, all except Crowley's guard, walked out of the room. Lucifer waved to the guard, who disconnected Crowley's chains and pulled him over to the throne. Marion debated getting up versus staying in her spot, but she finally stood and leaned against the throne. She couldn't risk Crowley touching her, accidentally.

"My Love, could I-" She swallowed as Lucifer turned to her and Crowley flinched. She smiled. "Can I play with the iPad? Gotta get my daily bonus on Criminal Case."

"'Course. Anything for you." It wasn't long before Simmons and another demon entered with a rack of medieval weapons. Lucifer walked over to the rack and looked at it. He sighed, deeply, obviously disappointed as one of the demons handed him a spear. "That's all of it?"

"Yes, sir. The requested weaponry from your crypts. Does it... please you?"

"Spare me." Lucifer said, annoyed. He turned, spear in hand, and gestured for all of the demons to leave. The demon who'd been guarding Crowley was the last out as Lucifer stepped toward his pet. He turned the spear over and pointed at Crowley's head with the opposite end. Crowley flinched away, slightly. "How are your wounds, Doggy?"

"They are... no less than I deserve." Crowley responded, not looking at the angel as Lucifer put his hand on the top of his head. He winced, afraid of the coming pain as Lucifer scratched his head.

"Aww, you're scared of your Master. Isn't that adorable, Marion?" Lucifer chuckled. "That's a good Doggy." He said, before grabbing Crowley's ear and pulling his head up. "But it's an act. I broke you, but um..." He leaned down to sniff at him. "Yep, I can still smell it. You've got that delectable little whiff of defiance. You're just playing, huh? Waiting for your moment to retake the throne? Am I right?"

"Yes, sir." Crowley responded, honestly. Lucifer dropped his ear and put both hands on the spear.

"Well, then. Tell me, once and future King of Hell..." He said, with amusement. "You've been watching my rule. What treasonous thoughts do you have brewing in that little head of yours, huh?" Crowley looked back and forth nervously but didn't answer, so Lucifer kicked him. "What are you _really_ thinking, hmm?"

"The truth, sir?"

"Yeah."

Crowley looked at him, then. Not at his face, he wouldn't dare, but he focused in on his chest. "You're not strong enough. You've had your weapons delivered. You realize they won't be enough. If you thought you could beat Amara, you'd be taking the fight to her! Right now."

Crowley flinched as Lucifer raised his hand and put it on his shoulder, patting it roughly. "You're a clever little doggy. You're right. At the moment, I may be a bit under-equipped. Maybe defeating Amara was a bit more of a team effort than I led certain people to believe." Marion closed her eyes as she filled with rage she couldn't allow Lucifer to see. "All that said, I'm still your Master. Did I let you out of that kennel too soon?"

Marion opened her eyes as Castiel's cell phone started to ring. She didn't look at Crowley, focusing on Lucifer as he pulled out the phone. "No barking." He whispered to Crowley, before walking around to the throne. "It's show time." He said, answering the phone. "Hello, Dean." His Castiel voice was incredibly convincing. "Yes. Marion and I will be there as soon as possible."

Lucifer ended the call and smiled at Marion. "Your brothers need us. Said it's important. Of course, they think everything they do is important. So, let's pop in, see if it's worth our effort." He said, extending a hand to her. She nodded and took his hand. They appeared in the bunker, in front of Sam and Dean in the map room.

"Hey." Sam and Dean both said, looking to Marion, who just nodded.

"Hey. What's up?" She said, with a smile.

"We got a bead on a weapon that might be powerful enough to take down Amara. Back in World War II, the Nazis got their hands on something they called a 'Hand of God', which was stolen by a Woman of Letters who was put on a submarine heading for us. It went down, though, before it got here." Dean gestured at the boards behind them, which Lucifer started to study. "What do you think, Cas?"

"There were several God-touched objects, but it never occurred to me that any of them survived the Flood, let along to Twentieth Century." Lucifer said, slightly awed.

"Do you think we can use it against Amara?" Sam asked.

"It's perfect." Lucifer looked down, then up at the brothers. "I can get you back there."

Sam and Dean looked across the map table at each other. "Without wings?" Sam asked. Lucifer sighed, having forgotten that Castiel was a broken angel. "Cas, you can't even teleport."

"I meant... _Marion_ can get you back there." Lucifer covered, turning to the board on the right and flipping through a set of papers attached to it. "So, uh, these the last coordinates?"

"That's the Bluefin's last transmission to shore, yeah." Dean answered.

"All right."

"Wait a second. Cas, aren't there still risks with time travel? I mean, aren't there consequences?" Sam asked.

"Sam." Dean hit the table as he turned to him. "This is the ideal scenario."

"What?"

"The sub is a tin can floating in the middle of the ocean, doomed to go down. You can't really mess with history at 20,000 Leagues. So we get in, get the weapon, get out. It's a milk run."

"Well, t-that's not a-a very good plan." Sam argued.

"Well, if things get outta hand, then Marion will just zap me right back." Dean answered.

"You?" Sam turned to look directly at Dean.

"You're not going." Dean said, definitively.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You need to stay here."

"Stay here?"

"Just in case things go sideways, somebody need to be left standing to take care of the Darkness. We can't risk us both! And at the moment, I'm the least valuable player! You all know that I can't kill Amara, so the least I could do is get the thing that we need so that _you_ can!"

"So you expect me and Cas to sit here and ride pine while you and Mare go play Jules Verne?"

"Yes! No. I, uh, who?" Dean played dumb.

Marion stepped forward. "I won't let him out of my sight."

"You'll stay by his side the entire time?" Sam asked, blinking up at her.

"I will." Marion promised, flinching as Lucifer put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sam. Let me do this. Okay? I need to do this."

Sam sighed, resigned. "Be safe."

"When am I not?" Sam scoffed and Dean stood up. "Let's do this, Mare." Dean looked from Lucifer to Sam, then nodded to his twin. "Bon Voyage." He said, before she put a hand on his shoulder and sent them into the past. Dean went onto the sub, but Marion was barred from passing the hull to the interior.

Marion appeared back in present times, outside the bunker, soaking wet. She blinked, completely confused about what happened. She pushed open the heavy bunker door and plodded down the stairs. Lucifer looked up at her as Sam turned around. "Marion. Why are you soaked?" Lucifer asked, in his Castiel voice.

"Wait a second. Where's Dean?" Sam asked, standing.

"I-I don't know what happened. We made the leap, he got on. I didn't."

"What?"

"I was blocked from making it past the hull." She whispered, confused.

"Someone must've warded the ship!" Lucifer exclaimed, angrily.

"Delphine? It has to be. I mean, she's protecting the weapon, right?" Sam led them into the library. Marion snapped, her clothes suddenly dry. "Mare, just go back to their last port, before she boarded! Leave a message so Dean knows!"

"Where?" Lucifer argued. "Where would Dean see it that the crew wouldn't? He's as likely to find the warding as he is any message she'd leave."

"Then send me." Sam volunteered. "You got Dean past the hull."

"Right. We'll double down on what screwed us the first time." Lucifer spit out. "You're really bringing your 'A' ideas today." Lucifer dropped into a chair and glared at Marion. "I can't believe you lost it." She looked at him pointedly as Sam gave his own questioning look. " _Him_. Can't believe you lost Dean. Well, it's up to him now to find and clear the warding."

"No. We can help." Sam said, heading for the stacks. "There's gotta be something in-in-in magic or angel lore. Some way to clear the sigils from the outside. Guys, don't worry. We'll bring him back." Sam said, putting a large book down and opening it.

Lucifer stood, grabbing Marion's hand and pulling her away as Sam grabbed other books and placed them on the table. "That Hand was our best chance at putting down the Darkness and you _lost_ it!" He whispered, furiously.

"My love. Please. It's not my fault. What-" She looked back toward Sam, engrossed in his books. "I would never have left him there if I didn't _have_ to. He's my brother. If there is a way, in those books, to get him back, we need to find it... before that sub goes down."

"I couldn't care less about your twin, Marion. I want that _Hand_."

"Then, let me go find a way to get them _both_ back here." She said, pulling away from him. He glared at her for a moment, then nodded, so she stomped back to the library.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucifer was flipping boredly through a book when Sam walked up with a black book in his hands. "Wait a second. I think I have something. The 'Spell of Gathering'. It's an incantation used to 'focus the power of celestial beings', angels, 'against all drawn forms of evasion'." Sam sat next to Lucifer and put the book on the table. "The spell is designed to clear all mystical or occult blockages. I mean, this is highly theoretical magic. It's never been used before, but it sounds like it could work."

"And do you have the ingredients?"

"Uh... here's the hard part, why it's never been used before. It requires the power of an archangel." Sam looked to Marion who looked down.

"Theoretical magic that may or may not do what it says? Sure. Gather the supplies." She answered, not waiting for Lucifer's permission.

Sam nodded and picked the book up, heading for the spell components. Lucifer smiled across the table at her as Sam disappeared from the room. "That's all well and good, Marion, but if you ever agree to do something that might kill you without my permission, I'll kill our doggy. Understand?"

"Yes, of course, my Love." She said, stiffly. "I just thought that you'd want me to do anything to get you that Hand of God."

"You're right. Now, let's go ahead and get this spell going." Lucifer plopped down in one of the chairs and Marion nodded before heading off after Sam.

"Hey, need any help here?"

"No. I got most of it here." Sam said, looking out the open door and handing her a piece of paper. "All except the power of an archangel."

Marion looked down at the paper. **Lucifer moved Celeste. We're tracking her, but it's taking time. Are you ok?** She looked up, catching her brother's eyes. She nodded. She could handle anything Lucifer threw at her until her daughter was safe. She would have to. "Let's get this spell set up. The sooner I can get past the sub's defenses, the sooner we can get Dean back."

"And the Hand." Sam said, taking the paper back and shoving it in his jacket pocket. He leaned forward and embraced her, tightly, and she had to control herself not to break down. Lucifer would definitely want to know why if she started crying.

"Right. Can't forget the Hand." She pulled away and mouthed "I'm Fine." at Sam, before walking back toward the library with a bowl of spell components.

As everything was getting set up, Marion stopped, putting a hand up to her ear. "Marion?" Lucifer asked, faux concern painting his Castiel voice.

"Dean's praying. It's weird. 'Echo-y' isn't the right word. It's like it's being filtered through water or..."

"Time." Lucifer provided, annoyance in his voice again. "It's being filtered through three-fourths of a century. What's he saying?"

"If you'd shut up, I could hear him." She growled, immediately regretting it as she realized the pain that would be coming as soon as they were alone. She swallowed and pushed forward. "'Delphine was the ward. She's using the Hand against the Nazis. She's the reason the sub goes down. It's gonna kill her. Get me out of here.'" She disappeared as soon as the words left her mouth, appearing behind Dean on the Bluefin as he watched a woman glow with the power of God. She put her hand on his shoulder and they appeared back in the bunker.

Dean looked at her, gratefully. "That was close."

"Do you have it?" Lucifer asked, pushing Marion out of the way to grab the wrapped up chunk of the Ark of the Covenant.

"Just don't touch the thing. It destroyed Delphine."

"I'm an angel, Dean. If anyone could handle the raw power of God, it'd be me." Lucifer said, unwrapping the chunk and placing it in his hand. He closed his eyes, waiting for the power, but none came. "It's..."

"It must have only had enough juice for one hit." Marion said, slightly grateful that Lucifer hadn't gotten that power-up.

Dean looked down. "Who would've thought the Hand of God would turn out to be a one-hitter?"

Lucifer looked at his feet. "This entire exercise was worthless!" He growled, grabbing Marion's hand. "Let's go!" They appeared in the throne room, where Lucifer immediately tossed her to the ground. Marion looked up at him from the stone floor. He took a deep breath and glared down at her. "That was a tense event, and I know how _connected_ you are to your brother, so I am going to give you the opportunity to _apologize_ for your behavior."

She swallowed and slipped her body into a low bow, her forehead on the floor. "Please, forgive me, my Love. I spoke out of turn. I was so distraught at my brother's plight that I forgot myself. I was disrespectful and I'm _so_ sorry."

"If you _ever_ speak to me that way again..." Lucifer's foot connected with her ribs, but her head did not move from the stone it rested on. "I'll light you on fire. I'll flay you. You will know pain like poor Sammy has never imagined in his worst nightmares of the Cage. You will fear me, even if you don't respect me, you little whore."

"I do, my Love." She whispered.

He grabbed her hair and pulled her head up from the ground. "What's that?"

"I _do_." She repeated, looking into his eyes to cement her emotions.

"You fear me, huh?" He shook his head. "I think, if you feared me anywhere near as much as I _want_ you to, you wouldn't slip up as often as you _do_!" He exclaimed, bashing her face into the floor. "Do we need to take a trip to Indiana? See what a Nephilim's viscera look like?"

Marion looked up at him, blood on her face and hatred in her eyes. "I _do_ fear you, but not for me." She sat up, sitting on her feet. "I am _terrified_ of what you could do to Celeste, but _I_ can take anything you serve me."

"Oh?" Lucifer smirked, amusement tugging at his features as he looked around at the demons in the throne room, who'd stopped to watch.

"There will be a day, real soon, where you lose. Just like last time, Luci. You... will... lose." She stood, wiping the blood from under her nose. "And when you do, I will be there with my daughter and my brothers and I will relish your anguish as you realize that you _never_ had a chance."

"Ooh. I love it! Every time I think you've been broken, the fire reignites." He chuckled. "And I get to break you all... over... again." He kicked her to punctuate his words. She flew into the far wall as he grunted out 'again'. She rolled onto her hands and knees, but didn't have long to get her bearings before he'd grabbed a fistful of her hair and was dragging her into the middle of the throne room. He threw her onto her back and produced an angel blade from nowhere. He pushed the blade slowly through her shoulder until it touched the stone beneath her. "Stay." He said, before standing. He smiled at the room.

"You... you demons... the best of Hell... you need to find me a Hand of God. Grab all the books you can find, anything that might lead you to a _Hand of God_. Divine power of the Most High." He chuckled. "I have to disappear with my Queen for a few days. I think we need to take that honeymoon we never got a chance for. Whoever's closest to a Hand when we get back, gets a special treat."

Lucifer bent down and grabbed her by the handle of the angel blade, flying them away. She looked up at him from the ground as Lucifer pulled Cas' trench coat off and threw it on a low-hanging branch of a tree next to him. He looked down at her, smirking. "You wanna fight?" He asked as she grasped the handle of the blade and started to pull it out of her flesh.

"I  _want_ to fight Amara, you asshole! I _can't_ fight you." She groaned, stabbing the blade into a pile of dirt and leaves next to her leg. "Because _you_ have my daughter and, with God M.I.A.,  _you_ are the only one around who knows how Amara got put down last time. That means I can't put you down." She stood, glaring up into Castiel's eyes. "But I can only repress this hatred for so long before it bubbles up and erupts, Lucifer. I can call you 'my Love' so many times before I want to rip my own tongue out. I swear, if you were not essential to taking down the Darkness, I'd've fought my way through the demons holding Celeste, fought my way through you..."

"Marion... are you saying that you are still plotting against me?" He asked, mockingly.

"I have not  _ever_ been broken by you, you egotistical piece of shit! I hold my tongue because I need you. I need you and I _hate_ that, because I hate you."

"Then fight me. Angry sex is always the best."

"I don't _want_ to have sex with you. I don't want anything to do with you. I want my daughter safe and the universe safe. I want to be able to work without fear of retribution. I want to be able to talk to my fucking twin without you listening in. You could do whatever you want to Crowley, I don't care. I love him, but I'd written him off before you ever weaseled your way into Castiel's vessel. I just want my daughter!"

Lucifer chuckled. "I can't give you that. You _know_ I can't. She's the only think keeping you at my side, and I need you at my side, Mare."

"You need me? You don't need me. You just like having me on my knees before you."

"I like having _everyone_ on their knees before me."

"But you don't need me for that."

"But I _want_ you for that." Lucifer grabbed her throat and pulled her close to him. "I have wanted you for years and the only way I get to keep getting what I want is for _your_ daughter to stay in _my_ control."

"If you want _me_ , then why would you have me act like some broken-" She said, her voice full of anger.

"Because it's fun. See how long you'd put up with my shit."

"And when I can't take it anymore?"

"I don't know." He smiled down at her, rubbing his thumb across her jugular. "Can you still take it? For Celeste?"

She swallowed. "I can take it. I told you; for Celeste, I could handle anything."

"It's so weird because you barely _ever_ see her and yet, you are so fierce in your loyalty to her." He looked down at her, an amused confusion in his eyes.

"She's my child. You... you'd understand if you were a parent." She whispered.

"Well, maybe you and I can work on that." Lucifer snapped the fingers of the hand that wasn't around her throat, and their clothes disappeared.

Marion took a deep breath, then looked down. "Fine. But I'm not calling you 'my Love', anymore."

"Only in front of the Doggy. Gotta keep up appearances." Lucifer said, laying her down on the ground, her head next to the angel blade.

"Fine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Your results best be overwhelming!" Marion said, appearing in the throne room. Lucifer popped into the throne behind her as all the demons in the room, pouring over their books and scrolls, looked up at her in confusion. "We've been gone a week. Do you have a Hand of God for us, or not?!" She shouted.

"Uh, w-we're, we are working on it, still. We h-have... we're looking." A demon answered.

"'Looking'? Are you shitting me? A week later, you're still 'looking'?"

"Calm down, my queen." Lucifer said, standing.

"Gone for a week, comes back and now she's giving orders again?" A voice muttered. Marion appeared next to the speaker, placing her hand on the demon's forehead. Light poured from its eyes and mouth as she smote the demon. The vessel fell to the floor and she sighed.

"Any other comments?" She asked. She was met with silence as her answer. "That's what I thought." She turned to Lucifer. "Perhaps it's your turn. An inspirational speech from their king?"

Lucifer smiled as Simmons handed him a clipboard with all the different manuscripts and leads on it. "Oh, good. Yes. Remember, A-B-C. 'Always Be Closing'. The sooner you little storm clouds find me another Hand of God, the happier I will be." Lucifer looked to Simmons with a smile. "You want me to be happy, don't you, Dollface?"

"Of course, my Lord." Simmons answered, with a chuckle.

"Good answer." Lucifer said, with a wink. He handed the clipboard back to Simmons and walked out into the middle of the demon frenzy of papers. "All right. You're gonna look high, look low, far and wide. Search every warehouse, every farmhouse, every henhouse, outhouse and doghouse." Lucifer looked down at Crowley, who was on his hands and knees scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush. "What about you, little puppy? You have something to add?"

"Nothing, Master."

Lucifer grabbed Crowley's hair and pulled his head up. "Really?"

"I would tell you. I swear."

Lucifer sighed. "I believe you." He smirked and patted Crowley on the head.

"May I return to my task?"

"Oh, of course." Lucifer stepped on the toothbrush as Crowley started brushing again. "Ah, ah. Just one minor tweak. Use your tongue."

Marion looked away. "I'm taking a spa day." She said, with fake happiness as the demons surrounded to watch Crowley grovel.

"Wait a second." Lucifer said, pulling away from the demons to grab her hand. "No talking to your brothers."

She smiled, tightly, then disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucifer appeared as Marion was being rubbed down by a tall, muscular masseuse. "So, the doggy escaped with Simmons a few minutes ago."

Marion looked up, lazily. "Okay?"

"He's gonna lead us to another Hand."

"Uh-huh."

"I thought you'd want to know. Might have to kill him after he leads me to it. I mean, he _did_ escape."

"Okay."

"Kinda nonchalant, there, Marion."

"What do you want me to say, Lucifer?" The masseuse's hands stopped on her body. Marion turned, looking up at the woman, who swallowed and continued her massage. She turned back to Lucifer. "You'll do what you need to do. I'm not going to stop you."

"All right. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Hm-hn." She moaned, closing her eyes contentedly. Lucifer gave her a long look, then disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He _wasted_ the Hand! And _actually_ escaped!" Lucifer raged, as Marion sat boredly on her throne.

"And?"

"Excuse me?" Lucifer turned to her, his eyes burning red and orange.

"It's Crowley and he has nothing. You took his weapons, his throne, his demons, his wife. Send some demons out to find him. It won't take long."

Lucifer scoffed. "Crowley is a host unto himself. As long as he can manipulate the players, he's a threat."

"Lucifer, who do you think he can manipulate? Not you. Not me. Maybe my brothers, but what good will that _really_ do against you? They're weak. Human. Not worth our worry." She shook her head. Crowley would find another Hand and her brothers would find Celeste. She just needed to bide her time between then and now.

************

Castiel's phone beeped in his jacket pocket as Lucifer lied on the bed with Marion. "What do you think Dean wants from poor, overworked Castiel now?" He asked, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and retrieving the phone.

"Maybe a bead on Amara. I don't know." She responded, snapping her fingers to redress herself.

Lucifer sighed. "' **Grab Marion. Need you A-sap at 722 Markham Lane, Lebanon, Kansas.'** Dean is the king of vague emergencies." He complained, snapping his clothes on. Marion made a noise of agreement and stood, putting a hand on his shoulder and flying them to the address listed. Marion immediately noticed Sam's hand was wrapped in a bandana and Dean had an angel blade up his sleeve. "Dean. What is it? You interrupted something important." Lucifer said, in his thick gravel Cas voice.

Dean clenched his jaw, then smiled. "You know who I finally met yesterday?" Lucifer stared blankly at him. "My niece." Marion's eyes lit up. "Kid's smart, like her moms. Sharp as a tack, quick as a whip. Kid's _already_ reading and I'm pretty sure that's not natural. She misses her birth mom, but understands you've been a bit tied up."

Marion smiled, then struck out with her leg, kicking Lucifer away from her. She sighed in relief as she appeared between Sam and Dean. "Lucifer. Riding my best friend. I really should've seen that coming."

Lucifer chuckled as he stood. "Also, riding your sister. So, where did I go wrong? I thought I was maintaining Castiel's lack-of-character so well."  
"You went wrong thinking my sister wouldn't do everything in her power to let us know that our niece was in trouble." Sam growled.  
Lucifer chuckled in disbelief. "I'm impressed. You know, I listened to every word you said to them, read every text you sent, and I never caught on that you were spilling the beans. You must have dropped a code word. What is it?"  
"The point of code words is so that evil bastards listening in can't understand." Sam spat, angrily.  
"Marion?" Lucifer asked, his voice intimidating.

Marion laughed. "You don't have anything. You don't have Crowley, you don't have Celeste and that means, you don't have me."

"He has Cas." Dean said under his breath.

"And that was Castiel's choice. No one _made_ him say 'yes'. The idiot did it because he was feeling expendable. It was his choice, which ultimately deprived _me_ of any choice over the last several months."

Lucifer scoffed. "Oh, you had a choice. You _chose_ to keep your abomination alive by choking on my dick every night."

"I'm gonna kill him. As soon as he's out of Cas, I'm gonna kill 'im."

Marion rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure _this_ is the time when you figure out how to kill an archangel. Not the apocalypse or when Cas was working with Crowley to be able to put down Raphael, it's now." She dragged her blade, suddenly in her right hand, across her left palm and slammed the blood-covered skin against the blood sigil on the wall beside Sam.

"Why'd you do that for?" Dean shouted as Lucifer disappeared in a flash of light.

"Because I was tired of looking at him. Lucifer has tortured, beaten, humiliated and raped me since the day Castiel gave him control of Jimmy Novak. I have endured more tortuous bullshit from that entity than you can imagine and you bein' worried for Cas does _nothing_ to help me. Where is my daughter?"

Dean raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "She's with Jody. We got her and Claire and Lily out of the shithole Lucifer had them bunked up in and had Jody come get them. Jody is in love, by the way. She thinks the world of Celeste."

"Us, too. She's pretty amazing." Sam said, softly.

Marion nodded, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She reached her right hand up to grab the necklace, ignoring the electric pains throughout her body as she pulled it off. She reached out and grabbed Sam and Dean's shoulders, flying them to Sioux Falls. She took a deep breath and knocked on Sheriff Mills' door. Claire Novak answered. "The old men are here." She called into the house, then turned back. "Tell me you're here for the weird baby."

Marion smiled tightly at the teen. "Claire Novak, young hunter with a bad attitude. You're either gonna get yourself killed before you reach legal drinking age, or live long enough for some rude child to call you an 'old woman'. Move."

"Is that Marion?" Jody's voice reached the angel's ears as the sheriff walked up behind Claire, with Celeste balanced on her hip. Marion's smile became real as her eyes fell on her daughter. "How did I not know about this kid, Marion? I thought we were friends."

Marion pushed past Claire and ran her hand through Celeste's wavy blonde hair. Tears started pouring down her cheeks as she looked into her daughter's rainbow eyes. "I was tryin' to keep her a secret. Keep her safe.

"They were bad demons, Mommy." The small voice using words she shouldn't know.

"What's that, baby?"

Celeste reached her hand out, and Marion took it. "They were bad demons. They said that Daddy sent them, but they didn't even _like_ Daddy."

Marion nodded, as she balanced the toddler on her hip. She wasn't sure if Celeste was just incredibly perceptive or if she'd used her powers to figure it out. "There's a bad angel who hurt Daddy and took over Hell. He sent those demons to hurt you if... if Mommy didn't..." She couldn't finish the sentence, knowing that Jody, Lily and the Claires were listening.

Those red and blue flecked eyes searched her and she could feel her daughter reading her mind. "He hurt _you_ more than he hurt Daddy. Why did Daddy leave you with Lucifer?"

"Because..."

"Because Mommy is smarter than Daddy. Stronger, too. Crowley knew she could keep it together until Sam and I found you and got you safe." Dean answered for her.

"I could handle anything for you, Celeste." Marion said, before kissing the top of Celeste's head.

"It's okay. He's going to pay for raping you." The child said, matter-of-factly.

Marion looked down, before placing Celeste on the ground. "Let's not talk about that, baby. Where are your other moms?" Celeste grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the kitchen. "Mrs. and Mrs. Glass, how are you doing?"

"You told me those demons were Crowley's. That they were there for our protection! You could have warned us, done something." Lily cried. Claire put her hand over Lily's.

"You're right. I did. I said that they were there for your protection because Lucifer, that's  _Satan_ by the way, told me that if you fought back against them, they would murder _everyone_. I couldn't risk you anymore than I could risk Celeste. I took my licks until I could get Dean a message to go save you."

"If we'd known that they were there to hurt us, we could have fought back." Lily argued.

"No. You couldn't have." Marion sighed. "Yeah, a demon or two, maybe more than that, but they would have beat you down. You would've gotten tired. Running is hard, and it hurts and they would've gotten you eventually because Lucifer inspires that sort of performance. A fanatic need to impress that bastard. Not knowing you were in danger was the safest place for you to be."

Claire wrapped her arm around her wife, then nodded. "I understand. We're so sorry that-"

Marion shook her head. "Let's not. You're safe. Celeste is safe. Everything is gonna be... is gonna be okay."

"Sheriff Mills, my mother needs liquor."

"Kid's smart." Dean chimed.

"No. She's just reading my thoughts." Marion said, with a chuckle.

"It's kinda crazy. She's... gotten really..." Lily started.

"My other moms are nervous about how fast I'm growing."

Marion dropped to her knees and tilted Celeste's chin to look into her eyes. "I know you can turn that off. It's not nice to listen to people's thoughts. It makes people nervous and, honestly, it's rude."

"But-"

"No buts. I love you, but you have to stop. Your other moms are the ones in charge and they don't like it."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, Moms." Celeste said, tottling toward Claire and Lily Glass and climbing easily onto Lily's lap.

"So, what now? We can't stay here. It's not big enough. No offense, Jody." Lily said, fake-smiling happily at Celeste.

"We'll find a place for you to stay. Somewhere... away and safe." Marion said, with a small smile. "We'll work on it tomorrow, okay?"

Dean put his hand on her shoulder. "We gotta go."

Marion nodded, before leaning down and kissing the nephilim's head. She turned to Jody and smiled. "Thank you for taking them in. I'll get them out of your hair soon."

"Don't worry about it. Just take care of yourself. I'm here if you ever need to talk, okay?"

"Of course, Jody. Thanks." She walked over, putting a hand on her brothers' shoulders and flew them back to the bunker.

"All right. We gotta grab gear and let's go." Dean said, stomping toward the armory.

"Wait, what?"

"Uh, yeah. We got a call from Crowley. He's got his hands on a Hand of God. We gotta meet him in St. Louis." Sam turned to Marion, who stood still, looking terrified. "You okay?"

"I... I don't know if I can... He..." She cleared her throat, which suddenly felt bone dry. "Um... he saw. Everything I did with Lucifer, everything Lucifer did to me... I don't know if I can... I'll... I'll be okay."

"You can stay here, Mare."

"No, I can't. I have to help finish this or all that time I spent under Lucifer's thumb will be useless. Go get your stuff."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marion stood back in the shadows as they walked into the abandoned postal warehouse. Dean and Sam had both said they understood her distance and promised to pretend she wasn't there until such a time as she felt comfortable joining the conversation.

"Nice digs." Dean called out to Crowley's back. "The Crypt Keeper out of town?"

Crowley turned around, hands in his coat pockets. "I'm lucky to be alive. Lucifer had me trussed up like a dog in my own palace."

"'Palace'? Oh, you mean the abandoned nuthouse." Dean responded.

"He kept me in a _kennel_! He defiled my Queen. And he turned all his demons... _my_ demons... against me. They scour the earth, day and night, looking to kill me. He has to be dealt with."

"So, is this why you brought us here; some lousy grudge match with Lucifer?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, where's this, uh, Hand of God you were talking about?" Sam continued.

"I'm getting to that. Your only hope of subduing Amara is to match the level of power that she possesses."

"No kidding. And?"

"And I have the Horn of Joshua." Crowley finished.

"Joshua? As in, the Joshua that won the battle of Jericho?" Sam chimed in with his Bible knowledge.

"And I'm willing to entrust it to your capable hands." There was silence, which Marion assumed was Dean and Sam giving their best bitch faces. "What? I just said I'd give you the thing."

"If?" The hunters prompted, together.

"Is this how you say 'thank you'? You think these things grow on bloody trees?!"

"Cut the crap, Crowley. With you, there's always an 'if'." Dean pushed.

"Fine. I will give you the Horn _if_ you help me exorcise Lucifer from Castiel's vessel and then return him _immediately_ to the Cage."

"Oh, that's all? Huh." Sam scoffed.

"Okay, and where is this Horn?" Dean asked.

"Safely hidden, naturally." Crowley answered.

"Yeah."

"Crowley, even if we could exorcise Lucifer out of Cas, the Cage is damn near impenetrable. It took a spell from the Book of the Damned to spring Lucifer and Rowena hid the book." Sam reasoned.

"And we would need both the book and her to even have a shot."

"Did I say this would be easy? No. I did not."

"Do you even know where Rowena is?" Sam asked.

"Rotting somewhere, I assume. Lucifer snapped her neck." Marion bit her tongue. She knew where the witch was, or at least, where she had been.

"Hold on. Okay? Let's just put it in reverse. We will put Lucifer back in the Cage _after_ we put Amara back on ice. It has to happen in that order. Otherwise, there is no Lucifer, there's no Cage, there's no nothing."

"He's spent years marinating in hate against us! He has to go."

"Problem in, we may need him." Sam reasoned.

"He's been down this road with Amara before. He might be the only one powerful enough to use the Horn against her."

"He had me cleaning the floors... with my tongue! He called me 'puppy'! He made me beg! He made me watch while he treated _your_ sister, my _wife_ , like his own bloody whore!"

Dean stepped forward. "All right. Come on. Is this what this is about? Huh, your stupid ego? The fact that he dissed you in front of a bunch of stupid demons? You're smarter than this. Even Marion knows that we need that jackass. Come on!"

"Dean's right. Priority is to put the Horn in Lucifer's hands and set him loose on Amara."

"After we exorcise Lucifer out of Cas and put him into a new vessel." Dean continued.

"What? Really?"

"Yes, really. We're not gonna send Lucifer into battle inside Cas. What if he doesn't make it?" Dean argued, turning to Sam.

"Dean, it's a strong vessel. It's held Cas for years, and we know what he's been through. I'm guessing it can hold Lucifer."

"'It'? It's not an 'it', Sam. It's Cas."

"And Cas wanted to do this."

"Yeah, well, there's times I want to get slapped during sex by a girl wearing a Zorro mask. That don't make it a good idea."

"Dean, this is exactly how we screw ourselves. W-we make the... the heart choice instead of the smart choice." Sam shot back.

"Oh, okay. Thank you, Dr. Phil. Cas is family."

Marion stepped out of the shadows and stepped forward. "Yes, he is, and his choice deserves to be respected."

"Even if it kills him?" Dean growled.

"You got out?" Crowley whispered.

Marion glared. "Of course I did. I made sure Celeste was safe, and then I got out. And you did exactly what I knew you'd do, found another Hand to secure your petty revenge against Lucifer. Like anything he did to you is worth the destruction of _everything_ God created."

"I gave you the terms of my deal." Crowley said, his voice low. "If Lucifer's not back in the Cage, the Horn stays hidden."

"You know, this is a dick move, Crowley. Even for you." Sam said.

"You're not being reasonable." Marion growled, her teeth clenched.

"I don't have to be reasonable. I'm the King."

"You miserable piece of-" Marion started, but a rumbling outside interrupted her.

"What the hell was that?" Dean asked, looking around.

"Where's the roof access?" Marion spat at Crowley, who just turned and started walking toward a stairwell. When they made it to the roof, they could see the sky covered in clouds and lightning, most definitely not natural.

"You know what, guys? I think that's her." Dean said, before turning and rushing back inside.

"Okay. So, now we all just saw what happens when she's in a bad mood, which apparently, she's been in since the dawn of time." Sam said, as they all walked through the building.

"I think she just rattled Heaven with a flick of her pinkie finger. That's not a big enough dose of reality for you?" Dean asked.

"Why are we arguing? We all know that he has to go back in the Cage."

"Yes, when it makes sense." Dean responded, turning back to Crowley.

"Amara is the big picture here now, Fergus, okay?" Marion filled in, immediately regretting calling him 'Fergus'.

"Look, in order to take her out, Lucifer has got to have the Horn of Joshua. He does her, we do him. Check, please." Dean finished. Crowley just stared at the Winchesters. "Crowley, tick-tock. You with us?"

"The crux of your dispute is your contention that Lucifer, and _only_ Lucifer, can use the Horn to beat Amara, right?" Crowley asked.

"You got it."

"What about Marion?"

"I wasn't around when she was defeated before and he wouldn't share the deets with me. I don't know how to do it! I would in a second if I knew how. Lucifer _is_ the only one."

"Well, that scenario only works if you actually possess said Horn, which you do not." Crowley responded.

"No, we don't. But _you_ do, so..." Sam started, frustration tightening his voice.

"Exactly! _I_ do! This isn't a negotiation. I have the high cards, and you have... Hold on. Give me a second. Let me have a look... _no_ cards!" Crowley yelled. "My offer stands."

"When we sprung Lucifer from the Cage, we had Rowena and the Book of the Damned. Both of which we will need to put him back in the Cage, both of which are gone. Back to you." Dean said, gesturing at Crowley.

"You wanna talk about cards? _I_ have Rowena." Marion chimed in, causing everyone to turn back to her.

"What?" Crowley and Dean exclaimed simultaneously.

Marion smiled, slightly. "You honestly think a witch that old didn't have a failsafe in place? She was back to life and gone from Hell before Lucifer laid a finger on me... or _you_. I found her. I know where she is and I'm the only one who does, which means I've got Rowena and she's got the book. You've got a card. I've got _cards_. Never really been a poker person, but I think that wins."

"Fine. You have Mother. Good. Doesn't change it, only makes it easier. I will only bring the Horn if you convince Mother to send Lucifer back to the Cage. _You_ can try to use the Hand against Amara." Crowley said, looking at Marion.

Dean looked to Marion, then sighed. "Fine. We'll do it your way. Mare, go get the witch."

Marion glared at Crowley, then disappeared.


	33. Fog

"Where's Helen?" Marion asked as she approached the warehouse.

"Ran off somewhere. Let's go, then. I see yer pendant's gone, take it to mean yew aren't under Lucifer's finger, anymore?" Rowena said, pulling Marion away from the building and speaking in a low voice.

"You've been watching us, Rowena. Don't deny it."

"Fine. Let's just go. We can pick up the Book on the way. New York City, Dear." 

Marion's brow furrowed. "Times Square good enough or do you want to give me an address?"

"Times Square is a perfect place to start." Rowena said, offering her hand to let Marion fly them away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The abandoned church they set up in smelled of rotten wood. Marion rolled her eyes as Rowena set up her spell and Dean set up a sigil on the floor. Sam set his wooden cross on a pew and turned to the twins after Rowena waved a little at them. "I hate this."

"Yeah." The twins echoed.

Dean moved to grab a bag with more supplies from the pew next to him. "And by the way, where the hell is Crowley? I mean, we're essentially all set up." Sam complained.

"Yeah, I mean, he's the one that boxed us into doing this. You'd think he'd have the decency to-" Dean added.

"Show up?" Crowley appeared behind them, holding the Horn wrapped in cloth. Marion could see the power rolling off of it as he stepped forward. "He does. Because without the bait, well... a trap really isn't a trap, is it?"

Sam scoffed, pointing at the Horn as Crowley placed it onto the pew. "That's it? Doesn't look like much, does it?"

"First impressions can be deceiving, Moose. For instance, I once thought of you as dull and plodding." Sam glared at him. "Oh, never mind. Bad analogy."

"You can't see it, Sammy, but that thing... I can see God in it." Marion swallowed, resisting the urge to pick the Horn up. There was something comforting about being so close to Chuck's power.

"For the record, we still think this is a bad idea. We should be _using_ Lucifer, not icing him." Dean argued.

"I'm aware. So, I'll be standing right here should you hesitate. The hand that giveth can so quickly taketh away."

"Yes, we _getteth_ it." Dean rolled his eyes.

Crowley turned to Rowena. "So, Mummy, you and Marion were telling us your fascinating tale of resurrection. But you never did say exactly where you'd been this whole time."

"Same as you, Fergus. Hiding. Once the Dark Prince knew I was alive, I wouldn't be." 

"No mucking about like last time. The warding and the Holy Fire won't keep an archangel but for a moment. If he shows up, at all."

"Oh, he'll show." Dean started, sitting on the pew and readying to start the summoning spell. 

"He's too hungry to take Amara out, and we've got the blaster to do it." Marion hovered her hand over the Horn, closing her eyes and trying to take as much comfort in the power of God as she could. 

Dean threw a match into the bowl and picked up a piece of parchment to read from. "In nomine magni dei nostri Satanas, introibo ad altare Domini Inferi. I summon you to make an offer. The weapon by which its bearer can crush the Darkness forever." There were several strikes of lightning and Rowena moved to hide out of sight of Lucifer, who appeared in the warding on the floor. "Sam, now!" Sam dropped a match to the ground, igniting the Holy Oil.

Lucifer turned around, looking at the people in the room. "I'm sorry. Your prayer implied that I'd be... joining the team, but I'm just not feeling the warm and fuzzy here." His eyes fell on the Horn. "Wow. There it is. Powered up by Dad, himself. Well, that bad boy, plus me and Mare-bear... that ought to take her out, all right." He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "Let's get to it. Douse the flames." He pointed at them, but the group just stared at him. "Or... don't?"

Dean cut his hand and slapped it into a sigil on the side of the box he'd used as a table. As the spell beneath his feet glowed, Lucifer started to shake, his grace being pushed down as Castiel's was pushed to the forefront. Dean stood. "Cas! Castiel, show yourself!"

"Dean?" Cas seemed confused, his breathing heavy.

"Cas." Dean breathed in relief, stepping closer to the ring of fire. 

"What are you doing? What's... what's going on?" Castiel asked, his eyebrows tucked together.

"Cas, listen to me. We don't have a lot of time, okay? You have got to..." Everyone's faces fell as Cas started to shake again, Lucifer's grace surging to the front again. "Cas. Castiel, show yourself!"

Lucifer began to laugh as he took over again. "Oh-hoo-hoo-hoo! Whoo! Uh, he's got to what? You boys..." He laughed again. "Ooh, you almost had me there for a minute, but Mary-Mary's spells, they're just not what they're cracked up to be, are they? White witches just aren't that strong, you should know that."

"Cas, expel him! You gotta kick Lucifer out! Do you hear me?!" Dean shouted.

"Honestly, I think he's happy with the arrangement. I mean, he did invite me in and all, Dean. Got to stick it to Crowley. Got to ride shotgun while I made Marion scream in pleasure."

"Cas!" Dean yelled, desperately.

"Cas!" Lucifer mocked, before his face when serious and angry. "Hand over the weapon, what do you say? Or we can just wait for this warding to fail, and I'll _take_ it." 

As the warding started to die, everyone looked around in fear. "Bloody Hell." Crowley whispered, before smoking out of his vessel and possessing Jimmy Novak.

"What the fuck?!" Marion whispered, staring at the body standing with its head hanging.

Sam looked at her with wide eyes. "I didn't think that was possible. How is Cas not exploding?"

"I think she's more focusing on the fact that his body is currently housing three guys she's been... _with_." Dean shook his head. "You think Crowley can find Cas and make him-"

"I don't know. They're not exactly friends, and Cas _did_ want this." Marion ran her hand over her face.

A few minutes later, Sam looked over at Crowley's vessel. "You know, he's been gone a long time. I mean, what do you think is going on?"

"I don't know. Maybe Cas isn't willing to play ball. I mean, you guys said it yourselves... he wanted this."

Rowena stepped out of her doorway. "Can't you people do anything right?! Whilst all this dithering goes on, we're losing time! Look! The warding's beginning to fail."

"Come on, Cas. What the hell?" Dean growled.

They turned away from Cas as a sizzling sound hit their ears. The forehead of Crowley's vessel suddenly had the words 'HELP ME' burned into it. "Shit!" Marion growled as Sam grabbed the large wooden cross and held it up. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundis spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii." She quoted with Sam as Dean tossed holy water at Cas' vessel.

"Omnis legio! Omnis con potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii. Omnis legio! Omnis congregatio et secta diabolica! Ergo, Draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te! Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii. Omnis legio! Omnis congregatio et secta diabolica! Ergo, Draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te!" Red smoke poured from Castiel's mouth and into the literary agent as Marion and Sam finished chanting. Crowley gasped as he sat up. 

"Crowley." Sam said as the demon blinked and shook his head.

"Useless. Lucifer's hold on him is too strong."

"Lads! The fire!" Rowena screeched as the Holy Fire died down.

Lucifer came back, looking disappointed. "Trick me? You lied to me. You know, I could have been your warrior." He waved dismissively at them. "Ah! Who needs ya?" Sam moved to grab the Horn, but Lucifer raised his hand and it flew across the room to him.

"Well." Crowley disappeared as soon as the Hand of God was in Lucifer's.

"It's just like Crowley to leave right when the party's getting started. Have a seat." Lucifer commanded. Sam and Dean were forced to comply, but Marion stood defiantly. "As much as I get a giggle out of you three, and I do, there comes a time when every relationship has... run its course. So..." 

Lucifer made a fist and the brothers began to grunt and struggle for breath. Marion took a step toward him, but stopped when the church door exploded behind Lucifer. She swallowed as Amara walked into the room. 

"Oh, Lucifer. Dear nephew. My, how you've changed." Amara looked around. "I was tracking her when she left my side." She gestured slightly toward the back of the church where Rowena was hiding.

"You were safely sealed away. You're gonna wish you'd stayed there." Lucifer threatened, holding up the Horn of Joshua. It glowed red as he pulled its power into him. The power burst from his palm and hit Amara's chest, a white light enveloping the Darkness. When the light died, however, Amara stood without a scratch, pulling Lucifer to her. He dropped the Horn, his expression terrified. Amara caressed Lucifer's face, looking into his eyes. 

"I think you and I need to have a nice, long chat."

"Cas?!" Dean shouted.

Amara looked at Dean, releasing him and Sam from Lucifer's hold. Then, a flash of light that Marion didn't even flinch from and Lucifer and Amara disappeared. When they turned to survey the room, it was immediately clear that Rowena had run in the chaos. Marion stared at the front of the church for a minute before kicking the pew closest to her. "Control yourself." Dean said, softly, standing with great effort.

Marion shook her head. "We need God." There were tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, well, if he were around-" Her twin started.

"He was here! When Charlie died, He was here!" She wiped her hand across her mouth as her tears started to fall. "He's _hiding_! He's hiding from His sister and she's going to destroy everything and we _need_ Him!"

"Hey, it's... it's going to be okay." Sam stood.

"No. No, it's not! Nothing is going to be okay unless He shows up to fix this shit! Nothing will be _anything_ unless he shows up! I have to-" She disappeared from the church in a flash of light.

Marion found herself in an empty bar, Beach Boys playing from a jukebox. "You know, you're very loud... and pretty damn disrespectful." She turned around to see Chuck standing next to a booth table. She dropped to her knees, overwhelmed. "Oh, come on, Mare. Stand up."

She followed orders, wiping at her eyes as she stood. "You're here. You're really here."

"I'm here." He confirmed, walking to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Don't fall apart on me. I need you."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah. I wrote up my memoirs and I need a layman's opinion of them." He said, producing a stack of papers and offering them to her.

She looked down at the papers, confused. "W-what? I-"

"Come on. You gotta read it. I want your brutally honest opinion of it." He forced the pages into her hands.

"My brut-" Her brows furrowed. "My brutally honest opinion is... _this_ is what you've been doing?! While your sister killed people and ate their souls? While Lucifer tricked Sam into believing that he was receiving visions from you and convinced Castiel to let him out of the Cage? While Lucifer did terrible things to me in the interest of asserting himself as the dominant Archangel, you were _writing your memoirs_?!" 

"Hey, you could've left Lucifer at any point of time."

"He had Celeste! You told me to make sure she was safe!"

"I also told you that you and Crowley were the only ones who could kill her. She would've been fine." Marion dropped onto the bench of the booth and looked down at her lap. Chuck slid in beside her. "I thought of sending you a message, a dream or something, but... I had to finish the book."

"I... can't do this, Chuck. I can't... sit here in this... pocket universe..." She gestured widely at the bar. "...while everything falls apart on Earth."

"I'll send you back. I mean... after you read."

"I don't wanna read! I want you to come back with me and  _fix_ this!"

"And I am your Creator and I want you to read." His voice went hard as he took his glasses off.

"Call your editor." She said, resolute.

"Good idea." 

Suddenly, there was another presence in the bar, but Marion couldn't see who it was from the other side of Chuck. She recognized the voice immediately, though. "Yeah, Toto. I got a feeling we aren't on Earth anymore, either." Metatron spun around, then headed for the booth. "Hello?" Chuck waved at Metatron as he walked up, Marion just sighed as Chuck put his glasses back on. "Carver Edlund? What the hell is going on here? What is this place?"

"It's a bar. Actually-" Chuck started, but Metatron interrupted. 

"It's not just a bar, _genius_. This is one of the Big Man's constructs. I'd know His work anywhere. We were besties, you know."

Marion rolled her eyes as Chuck's eyebrows turned in a bit. "Well, I wouldn't exactly say-"

"This is some kind of punishment, isn't it? For my sins. A limbo where I get to spend eternity in a crappy bar with a Winchester and a hack writer."

"Dude." Chuck's tone was offended. 

"Sorry, Chuckles. Not just any hack writer, a Prophet of The Lord. Give me a break." Metatron walked toward the bar. "Tell me, at least, the beer is real in here." 

"You really think I'm a hack?" Chuck asked as Metatron filled his mug with beer from the tap.

"I have trudged through your complete oeuvre, published and unpublished. Of the metric ton of books I've read in my lifetime, 'Supernatural' didn't even crack the top ten... thousand. Respectfully."

"Real respectful, Marv." Marion rolled her eyes at him.

"You didn't like _any_ of it?" Chuck asked.

"Mnh-mnh."

"Not even 'Home'?"

"No."

"Or 'All Hell Breaks Loose'?"

"Ugh! Way too much melodrama. And then you put yourself in the story? God!" Metatron complained as he sat down across from Chuck and Marion.

"Okay. That's fair. Mildly constructive. Still, it doesn't justify you... burning one of my books, though." Chuck gave a little chuckle at that.

"What are you talking about?" 

"'Tall Tales'. You were monologuing to Castiel and you threw one in the fire." Chuck shrugged.

"How do you know about that?"

"Geez, you're an idiot." Marion shook her head as Chuck smiled. 

"Oh! I'm sorry. I always forget. People can't see me unless I _want_ them to see me." Chuck produced a pair of sunglasses and handed them over to Metatron. "Here. Visual aid. Put these on. It'll help. Go on, just do it. It's a whole thing." 

He put on the sunglasses and Marion just closed her eyes as Chuck flicked a switch in the air and his divinity became apparent. "You. God. God, you've come back!" Metatron gasped and slid from the booth, kneeling before Chuck and genuflecting. "I can't believe you've come back! I-I didn't mean what I said about 'Supernatural'! It's underrated- due for a reboot! And this bar, it's not crappy, at all! It looks just the one in 'Cheers'! Everybody knows my name! And the lights are very forgiving!"

Chuck flicked the switch again and got out of the booth, helping Metatron up. "Okay, yeah, please. All the kneeling and stuff, it's always made me deeply, deeply uncomfortable. Just don't use the G-word, okay? Just-just call me Chuck. Ask Marion. The G-word is only for special occasions."

"Yeah, like when you've pissed him off." Marion said.

"Chuck?" 

"Chuck." God confirmed.

Metatron removed the glasses. "I think I need a stiffer drink." He started to walk away.

Chuck sighed, turning to Marion. "It was a lot easier to reveal myself to you."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't as set in my ideas as Marv."

Metatron poured himself a drink of whiskey and downed it. "So. What have you been up to?"

"Oh, I've been super busy. Yeah, I traveled."

"Mmm-hmm."

"I started a blog. Mostly just pictures of cats. They're so cute!" Chuck walked around behind Metatron's barstool, hands in his pockets. "And, uh... Oh, I signed up for Snapchat. A-and I started a new series of books. Yeah. 'Revolution'. But, I don't think it's going anywhere."

"'Revolution'?"

"Yeah."

"'Supernatural'?" Chuck nodded. "Maybe titles aren't your thing."

"You're not wrong." 

"But why did you put on the Chuck suit in the first place? How did that make any sense to you?" Metatron asked, turning around. 

"I like front row seats. You know, I figured I'd hide out in plain sight. You know, plus, you know, acting is fun." Chuck gave a small chuckle.

Metatron grabbed his glass and headed back to the table. "Well... it's an Oscar-worthy performance, but... how did nobody know? I mean, wh-what about that amulet thingy? You told me about it, some... silly charm that burned brightly in the presence of you?"

"You mean this?" Chuck asked, pulling out Dean's necklace.

"Yes! Dean had it! And your fave, Castiel. They were around you. How did it never-"

"I turned it off. Until I wanted it on. See?" Chuck flicked an invisible switch and the amulet produced the blinding light it had the day of the fight at Stull cemetery. "I let it burn for Marion because I needed her to feel my presence. I should really put this away." He pushed the amulet into his pocket. "You'll never guess where this thing has been this entire time."

"Look, I don't care about that ugly, old thing or why you were slumming it with the plebes. Let's brass some tacks already, okay? You see and hear all. You know what an absolute piece of garbage I've been the last couple of years." Chuck raised an eyebrow. "Did you bring me here to destroy me?"

"You know what humanity's greatest creation has been?" Chuck asked, walking past Metatron. "Music. That, and nacho cheese. Even _I_  couldn't have dreamt up that deliciousness. But music... is magic. A lot of remarkable music was created in this space. B.G.'s Canteen. Now, it's not as well known as The Bitter End or The Gaslight, but some amazing musicians got their start on this stage. I'm hoping that you and I can tap into some of that old magic and finish what I started a few months ago." Chuck pointed at the table, where Marion had set down the packet of papers. 

Metatron picked up the packet and looked up at Chuck. "You wrote your autobiography."

"Ish. I mean, there are chapters, it's kind of a loose structure, uh, but... I don't know, something's missing. I'm-I'm stuck." Chuck admitted.

The former angel put the manuscript back on the table. "You wanna get the old band back together. Lennon and McCartney ride again."

"Well, I'm kinda Lennon _and_ McCartney, so... but Marion reminded me that every writer needs a good editor. I did some of my best work with you, Metatron."

"Does this mean I get to be an angel again?" Metatron asked, hopefully.

Chuck laughed, loudly, and patted Metatron's shoulder. "Yeah, right." He stopped laughing. "No, no, that's never-never happening."

"That's probably a good call."

"I think so."

"Well, let's do this." Metatron picked the manuscript back up. 

Marion slid out of the booth and looked over at Chuck. "Great, he's in. Can I go now?"

"Go? Where?" Metatron asked, dropping into the booth.

"My brothers need help." She glared at Chuck. "Since we're not going to get that help from-"

"Sit down, Marion." Chuck demanded.

Marion shook her head. "Send me back to Earth, or destroy me now, Chuck. I will not sit here and pander to your writer neuroses while your sister is tearing Cas apart to get to Lucifer, or tearing the Earth apart to get to you! Send me back or kill me!"

"Don't be so dramatic, Marion."

"You want dramatic, Chuck? Because I will pull on every bit of feminine hysteria you dropped into my hormones when I was created and I will drown this bar in my drama, if you don't _send me back_!!"

Metatron turned to shoot a shocked look at her. "You _do_ know who you're talkin' to, right?"

Chuck sighed. "Thank you for your input, Marion." 

Marion was suddenly in Indiana, about 100 feet away from her brothers, who were speaking to a sheriff as a coroner's van drove away. "Did you notice anything off about Deputy Harris' behavior the last couple days?" Sam asked as Marion started toward them.

"No. Nothing at all."

"When was the last time anyone heard from her?" Sam asked

"Called in for the last time yesterday. Said something about... seeing some fog rolling in. I don't know why she cared about the damn weather."

"Would you get in contact with your dispatch officer? Tell her to let us know if she gets any more reports like that again." Dean said after exchanging a look with Sam.

"You serious?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, just to be safe."

"And do you have any idea where Harris might be now?"

"No. But we can track her vehicle from our office." The sheriff answered.

"Great. They'll meet you there." Marion said, stepping up next to Dean.

"Who's this?"

"Marion. I work with them. Nice to meet you, Sheriff Mac." She nodded toward the Impala and grabbed her brothers by their sleeves. "Can I talk to you boys?"

They followed her, standing stiffly once they got to the car. "Where the hell did you go?" Dean asked, in a harsh whisper.

"I was _taken_ , thanks for the concern."

"Taken? Taken where and by whom?" Sam asked, quietly.

"By God."

"God? You saw God? He's not-"

"Not gonna help." She said, succinctly.

"What?! You talked to him, told him everything Amara's doing and-and he's still playin' Switzerland?" Dean growled.

"He already knew, Dean. Of course, He did. But He's too afraid of her. He's hiding, just like I said He was."

"So, God isn't gonna help. You know, we should've expected that after what Joshua said during the first apocalypse. So... we keep goin' on our own."

"This is different than Joshua." Marion shook her head and rubbed her hand down her face.

"How? Said it wasn't his fight and didn't want to bail us out again, right? Just like this." Dean reasoned, softly.

"Except He did help with the first apocalypse. He might not have bailed you out, but He did help. More than you know. This... this is different. He's not even writing this story anymore, He's just... hiding." Marion took a deep breath and looked up at her brothers' worried faces. "It's fine. We can do this without Him."

"Uh... last time we saw you, you were saying something completely different." Sam said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well... I have renewed confidence in us."

"Yeah? Your little trip to wherever God's vacationing was that refreshing, huh?" 

" _Hiding_." She corrected her twin as she opened the back door of the car and climbed in. "And no. It wasn't refreshing. It was infuriating." 

Sam and Dean exchanged a look and got in the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I can't make heads or tails. Harris is... _was_ our computer person." The sheriff said, tapping at the keyboard of his computer.

"Can I give it a shot?" Sam offered, taking the chair and starting to type.

"Sheriff? Matt and Emmy just called in. They said they saw some fog rolling in by Jasper Hills." The deputy at the other desk said, hanging up the phone.

"Did they say where it was headed?" Dean asked.

"West. Towards town."

"Okay, call them back. Tell them to get inside, shut their windows and doors and seal it up, and stay the hell away from that fog. Then, get the word out to everybody in town. They need to do the same damn thing."

"Hold on. What are you talking about?" Mac asked.

"My partners and I have seen this before, okay? Wes, Deputy Harris were infected by something in this fog. Now, I know it sounds crazy-" Dean started.

"No, it sounds like we should call the CDC."

"There's no time for that." Marion said, rolling her eyes.

"Found Deputy Harris." 

"She's on Main Street, heading right this way."

"All right, we'll handle Harris." Marion said, as Sam stood and they headed toward the door.

"Just, please, get the word out. Tell everybody they need to stay inside, seal up their windows, their doors, everything. Do it." Dean ordered. The trio headed outside and looked out at the deputy's car. As the deputy started to get out of the car, Dean patted Sam's shoulder. "Hey, get them out of here."

Sam started toward the pedestrians, flashing his FBI badge. "Agent Greer, FBI. I need you to get inside immediately. Go." 

"I tried to kill myself, but she won't let me. She has a message, for you, Dean Winchester." The deputy said, her gun in hand.

"Amara? Is she here?"

"No. But her words have been echoing in my head ever since I took a breath of that fog." Jan answered.

"Did she tell you to kill your husband?" Marion asked.

"And I watched myself do it."

"Okay, listen to me, this is an infection. Put the gun down, let us help you-" Sam started.

"It's not an infection. She says, it's a mirror. She's showing us all the truth."

"Darkness." The twins whispered.

"The light was just a lie." Jan said, raising her gun and aiming at Dean. Two bullets hit her chest and she slid down her car door and hit the ground. The trio of hunters turned to see the sheriff aiming his gun at her. Dean rushed forward. "It will all be over soon. He's not gonna save them. It's all going away... forever. But not you, Dean."

"Dean." Sam caught their attention. "Dean!" The twins turned and looked up the street, seeing a wall of fog heading toward them. 

Sam ran for the red SUV behind Harris' cop car and pounded at the window, before opening the door. Dean ran for another group of people and Marion grabbed the sheriff and pulled him back into the station. "What kind of fog was that? And what happened to Harris? Those-those big black veins."

"Sorry. It's not... something I can easily explain to you." Marion said, looking out the window. Mac ran for the radio as Sam and Dean walked into the station. Sam walked up to stare out the window with her.

"Agent Ehart? Radio's dead."

Dean sighed. "You have any duct tape?" Marion could feel the horror rolling off of her little brother as they watched a couple lose their fight against the fog. "Guys? Guys?!" They turned as Dean tossed a roll at Sam, then one at Marion.

The hunters rushed around the station, sealing all of the cracks, doors, and vents. Sam pulled out his cell phone and showed it to Dean, who pulled his phone out to show 'No Signal', as well. "Anything on Angel Radio?" Sam asked Marion, quietly. She just shook her head. 

"Sheriff, let's see if we can't fix that radio of yours." Dean walked away from his siblings to go check on the radio.

"Dean? You hear that?" Sam called attention to the grunts and shouting outside the building. They ran for the door, locked it, then ran back as the glass was breaking. "Dean." Sam ran for the vent Dean had taped as Marion and Dean held the door against the fog zombies. Sam fell to his knees, coughing as Dean turned around and the sheriff walked toward him. Everyone's eyes widened at the appearance of the black veins on Sam's hands.

"Sam!" Dean shouted, rushing forward as Marion held the door.

"Folks, we need to stay together, okay?" Mac instructed.

"Sam!"

"No, no! Get back! Don't!" Sam begged, gasping.

"My god, he's infected." The sheriff gasped out.

"Everybody, get inside!" Marion yelled, pointing to the Sheriff's office.

"Everybody!" Dean instructed. 

Mac led the people into his office as Sam coughed and the baby girl cried. "Come on. Let's move. Come on." He turned, his eyes darting from Dean to Marion. "Come on. Let's go! Get in here!"

"No! I'm not leaving my brother!" Dean took duct tape to the office door as a brick smashed the window Marion and Sam were looking through earlier. Sam grabbed a message board to cover the broken window, but he tripped, falling to the floor and dropping the board. "Sam! Hey!" Dean dropped the tape before finishing his task as he ran to check on his brother. "Listen to me!"

"We're not gonna make it." Sam whispered.

"No, no, no. There's no quitting here."

"We were never gonna make it." Sam continued, grabbing at Dean's jacket.

"Sam, listen to me. That's not you talking, it's the fog."

"You were gonna choose Amara over me. Over Marion. Over everything." Sam groaned.

"Sam, no!"

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, Dean. I can't fight this. You've gotta go. You and Marion have to get out before you're infected. Go, before I hurt you!"

"No!" Marion shouted.

"No, we're not leaving you. Ever!" Dean shouted, before taking a deep breath of the fog. Dean looked at the door to the office where shouting and screams were heard, then turned to Marion, who was demonstrably not breathing, as he realized that no veins were appearing on him. He looked up at the sky in anger and screamed, "Stop this! You hear me, you dick?!"

Dean looked down at Sam for a few seconds before the screaming in the office stopped and the banging on the door behind Marion did, too. He looked down at Sam, frantically grasping at his brother's jacket. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Hey, hey, look at me. Look at me. I'm right here. I'm right here. Okay, it's okay. It's all right. I'm right here. I'm right here." He looked to his sister, who was still holding the door. Her eyes grew at the sudden light pouring from Sam's pocket. Dean pulled out the light, the amulet, and the Winchesters stared at it. As the light shined, the fog cleared and Sam was suddenly fine, checking his hands for veins. Marion stepped forward, staring at the amulet. She gasped as the sheriff and the others came out of the office. The hunters stepped outside of the police station, seeing the fog cleared there, as well. 

Marion's eyes filled with tears as she saw Chuck helping a teenage girl up. "He came."

Chuck turned as Marion covered her mouth with her hands and her brothers looked at the amulet shining in Dean's hand. Dean looked to his twin for  confirmation, but she was in the middle of a small breakdown, so he just turned back to Chuck as he walked over. "We should probably talk." Marion just giggled, helplessly, through her tears.


End file.
